November 14, 2022
India's wheat planting acreage up nearly 10%
Data from India's Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare showed the country's has planted wheat on 4.5 million hectares since October 1, 2022, 9.7% higher year-on-year, Reuters reported.
As it receives more data from state governments, the ministry will continue to update the provisional crop sowing figures.
In India, the northern states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and the central state of Madhya Pradesh are where wheat is primarily produced. The planting estimates are also subject to change based on the weather.
Growers reported that late rains in October and November increased soil moisture levels and enabled farmers to plant more land in wheat, the primary winter crop.
India only produces one crop of wheat each year, which is harvested starting in March after being planted in October and November.
India, the second-largest producer of wheat in the world, was forced to impose a ban on the commodity's exports in May of this year after an abrupt rise in temperatures in March reduced crop yields.
The government is considering measures like releasing state reserves into the open market and eliminating the 40% import tax in an effort to lower wheat prices, which have risen to record highs despite the ban.
According to the farm ministry, rapeseed, the primary winter-planted oilseed, was sown on 5.5 million hectares, up from 4.8 million hectares a year ago.
India, the largest consumer of cooking oil worldwide, can reduce the pricey imports of edible oils from Malaysia, Indonesia, Brazil, Argentina, Russia, and Ukraine.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed concerns about India's rising vegetable oil import bill after New Delhi spent a record $18.99 billion on vegetable oil imports in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022.
Indian-developed genetically modified mustard seeds, a member of the rapeseed family, have received environmental clearance from New Delhi as part of efforts to lessen India's reliance on imported edible oil.
- Reuters
