December 2, 2010

Indian wheat production may surpass targeted forecast
 
 
India's wheat production may be a little higher during the current crop year than the targeted 82 million tonnes, due to good monsoons and sufficient areas under cultivation.

"There is no area shrinkage under wheat production in the current crop year starting November. The country will achieve a little more than the target of production of 82 million tonnes of wheat," researcher, S S Singh, said.

Wheat is a rabi crop and its sowing begins in November, while harvesting starts in March.

India had produced a record 80.71 million tonnes of wheat during the 2009-10 crop year. The government is targeting 82 million tonnes of wheat production in the ongoing Rabi season.

Due to good monsoons in September, the production of wheat in the rain-fed areas of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar is likely to go up, Singh said, adding that the wheat cultivation may also gain from intense winter and intermittent rains.

However, he stressed on the need to adopt long-term strategy to overcome ill affects of climate change on agriculture.