The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has proposed a relaxation in wheat quality norms for the Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2026-27, specifically for Punjab and UT Chandigarh. This recommendation allows for up to 20% shrivelled and broken grains, 80% lustre loss, and 6% damaged grains without value cuts. The proposal addresses the challenges faced by farmers due to adverse weather, including unseasonal rains that have negatively affected crop quality. The FCI's recommendation follows multiple requests from the Punjab government and grain market associations, highlighting the urgent need for approval to facilitate procurement operations. Currently, procurement has slowed significantly, with agencies only accepting wheat that meets existing norms, leading to a backlog of produce in mandis. Farmers are facing increased risks as their crops remain unprocured, and FCI officials stress the importance of timely intervention to prevent further disruptions during this peak procurement period. Stakeholders are now awaiting final approval from the Centre to proceed with the relaxed standards.