June 11, 2024

India anticipates record wheat production

India's wheat production is poised to reach a record high this year, driven by all-time high prices prompting farmers to expand planting areas and adopt high-yielding varieties, Reuters reported.

Scientists and traders attribute this optimistic outlook to favourable weather conditions, further boosting expectations for a bumper wheat harvest. As the world's second-largest wheat producer, India is contemplating lifting a ban on wheat exports due to the anticipated surge in output, potentially alleviating concerns over persistent food price inflation.

Gyanendra Singh, director at the Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, said this year's production could rise to 112 million tonnes because of the higher area and favourable weather.

Despite being the world's second-biggest consumer of wheat, India banned exports of the staple crop last year in response to a sudden rise in temperatures, which impacted output. However, the surge in wheat prices, even amidst the export ban, suggests a significant drop in output this year.

According to the Central government, India's wheat output fell to 106.84 million tonnes in 2022 from 109.59 million tonnes a year earlier. The US Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service estimates production at 100 million tonnes, while traders project output to be as low as 95 million tonnes due to weather-related challenges.

This year, favourable weather conditions in key wheat-producing states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana have contributed to optimistic projections. Farmers have embraced newer high-yielding varieties, enhancing resilience to climate change.

Farmers have expanded wheat planting to 33.22 million hectares since October, marking a nearly 1% increase from the previous year. India typically plants wheat between October and November and harvests from March onwards. While the weather has been supportive thus far, maintaining lower temperatures in February and March is crucial to grain formation, as last year's spike in temperature during these months affected yield.

-      Reuters