February 2, 2009
Hot weather may hurt India's wheat production
India is concerned on its projected 79 million tonnes of wheat output due to high temperatures this month.
Key wheat producing states of Punjab and Haryana have reported temperatures that are 2-4-percent higher than the annual average at this period of the year.
Officials from the Punjab agriculture department on Wednesday (Jan 28) said wheat production may be affected both in quality and quantity.
The wheat crop requires low temperatures in January, though frost is likely to harm its growth.
Officials said if the high temperatures persist, crop sown in November may be adversely affected, especially when the crop has received far lesser rains this season compared to previous years.
The northeast monsoon registered a 31-percent deficit nationwide, while July 2008 saw comparatively low rainfall.
