January 5, 2009

India expects its buffer wheat stocks to reach 9.17 million tonnes on April 1, against a state requirement of 4 million tonnes, a statement from the federal government said Friday (January 2).

It said the government had an additional 3 million tonnes of wheat as strategic reserves, over and above the buffer stocks.

The federal government also reported that India's wheat planting area during the October 1 to January 2 period rose marginally to 26.3 million hectares as low temperature in some growing areas delayed sowing of the crop.

The acreage stood at 26.2 million hectares a year ago.

India's wheat sowing typically starts early November and the crop is harvested in March. This year, it started in October.

Total oilseed area planted in the October 1 to January 1 period rose to 8.9 million hectares compared with 8 million hectares a year ago, the government said. Rapeseed acreage rose to 6.6 million hectares compared with 5.7 million hectares a year ago.

Area under corn increased to 922,000 hectares for the Oct. 1-Jan. 2 period compared with 883,000 hectares a year earlier.