The recent rally in prices of wheat in the global market has caught the Indian market by surprise. Market players, who were banking on cheaper imports to meet demand in the lean arrival season, would now have to turn to the domestic market to source wheat and that could effectively push up wheat prices by about 200 rupees per 100 kg over the next couple of months. Wheat prices usually start ascending by Jul-Aug as arrivals come to a grinding halt and government winds up procurement operations. The government offer price under the open market sale scheme usually acts as a benchmark for wheat prices during the lean season.