March 23, 2009

India's wheat output in the year to June 2009 is likely to exceed an earlier estimate of 77.8 million tonnes because of a late spell of rain and cooling of temperatures in some growing regions, a senior farm ministry official said Friday (Mar 20).

"According to field reports, wheat output may be better than estimated," farm commissioner N.B. Singh told reporters on the sidelines of a conference to assess seasonal crop output.

India reaped a record harvest of 78.6 million tonnes in the year to June 2008.

"Rains in some places will help the crop as it has cooled temperatures," Singh said, adding that average temperatures in the main wheat-growing areas are about 24-25 degrees Celsius.

Some areas in India's wheat basket have been affected by an outbreak of yellow rust - a fungus - but since the disease spread in the later stages of the crop, output is unlikely to be significantly affected, Singh said.

Food grain output in the year to June 2009 is also likely to be more than an earlier estimate of 227.88 million tonnes, he said.

However, experts are skeptical about India producing as much as the estimated 231 million tonnes in 2007-08, though there could be some increase in coarse cereals and rice.