January 25, 2010

India winter wheat sowing area shows increase

India's winter-sown wheat area as of January 21 rose slightly to 27.6 million hectares from 27.5 million hectares a year earlier, according to government data.

Wheat sowing usually starts in November, and the crop is harvested from March.

India, the world's second-largest wheat producer, aims to increase its 2009-10 harvest by two million tonnes to offset a drop in summer-sown food grain output due to drought and flooding.