Good outlook for India's winter-sown crop

India's winter crop planting is on track toward higher output this year, despite that planting is progressing at a slower pace in Punjab and Haryana states due to adverse weather.

India expects total winter-sown foodgrain output to rise by 8.5 million tonnes due to increased acreage and better crop yields, despite disappointing monsoon rains this past summer.

The country produced 14.57 million tonnes of winter-sown rice in the fiscal year ended March 31, while wheat output was 80.58 million tonnes. The federal government has forecast winter-sown wheat and rice output to increase by two million and four million tonnes, respectively, in 2009-10.

Wheat in India, the world's second-largest producer, is grown only in the winter. It is usually sown in November and harvested from March onward.