India's 2008-09 wheat likely higher than 2007-08

India's wheat area under cultivation is likely to be higher in 2008-09 compared with the previous year, despite a marginal fall in area sown until last week, federal agriculture secretary T. Nandkumar said today November 25.

"The marginal decline in wheat cultivated area is due to a delay in cane harvesting in the northern province of Uttar Pradesh," said Nandkumar.

India's wheat planting up to November 21 in the current winter season that started October 1 fell marginally to 8.4 million hectares compared with 8.5 million hectares a year earlier.

"We will catch up in the coming days," said Nandkumar.