After allegations of bogus paddy procurement during the last kharif season, the procurement of wheat allegedly brought from Uttar Pradesh to Haryana grain markets has now come under scrutiny, with a retired agricultural scientist seeking action against those involved.
Dr Virender Lather, a retired Principal Scientist from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, has written to PM Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, alleging irregularities in paddy and wheat procurement in Haryana.
He alleged that a nexus involving arhtiyas, rice millers, officials of market committees and procurement agencies orchestrated “ghost procurement” during the kharif 2025 season and continued similar practices during the ongoing procurement season.
Citing procurement figures, he said 62.13 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of paddy were procured during the last kharif season against the Centre’s target of 36 lakh MT, even though Haryana’s estimated non-basmati paddy production was around 48 lakh MT. He pointed out that actual procurement in 2024-25 stood at 53.99 lakh MT.
“The data shows we are procuring more than the realised production. I suspect gross irregularities during procurement. There is a need to check such practices to ensure transparency and build trust in the procurement system among the farming community,” he wrote.
He alleged that procurement beyond the actual production may have been facilitated through fake billing. He also questioned wheat procurement figures this season. “How has an additional 14 lakh MT of wheat been purchased despite adverse climatic conditions?” he asked.
“Huge quantities of wheat were procured at low prices from UP and shown as procured at MSP in Karnal’s grain markets by some arhtiyas, after manipulating the gap between maximum permissible yield on the MFMB portal and the actual yield of registered farmers to claim benefits,” he alleged.
