March 14, 2007

India sees no change in wheat output estimate for current crop year
 

The Indian government is not changing its wheat output estimate of 72.5 million  tonnes for the current crop year, despite a bout of damaging, unseasonable rains in the last few days, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said Tuesday.

"Latest reports that we have got suggest that between 10,000-15,000 hectares of crops have been affected by the rains," Pawar told reporters after a meeting on wheat prices.

He said the provincial governments of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh - the main wheat-growing states of northern India - were maintaining their production estimate for the year.

Wheat in India is sown in October and November to be harvested from February onward.

On the government's plan to give higher wheat minimum support price, Pawar said the federal Cabinet would decide in 10 to 15 days.

"If we have to improve the wheat support price further or pay a bonus, the Cabinet has to take a decision," he said.