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New Delhi, Dec 18 In a bid to allay apprehensions over any shortfall in domestic production of wheat, the Centre has claimed that the prospects for the current crop (to be harvested from end-March) “look satisfactory in terms of area coverage and the likely production”.

The total acreage under wheat during 2007-08 is expected to touch 27.5 million hectares (mh). This would be marginally less than the all-time-record of 28.04 mg for 2006-07 and higher than the normal area of about 26 mh, according to an Union Agriculture Ministry statement released following a meeting convened by the Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Dr P.K. Mishra, here on Tuesday.

The review meeting was attended by senior officials (Principal Secretaries and Directors of Agriculture) of eight major wheat growing States — Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

The statement noted that there was crop area loss on account on moisture stress and initial high temperatures in Madhya Pradesh (Gwalior, Rewa and Sagar Divisions), Uttar Pradesh (Bundelkhand region) and the rainfed areas of Rajasthan.

However, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat and Bihar are expected to bring in about two lakh hectares additional area under wheat in 2007-08 as compared to 2006-07. The farmers, especially of Punjab and Haryana, have responded favourably to increase in minimum support price of wheat with higher coverage.

“The State Governments were of the opinion that the prevailing favourable climatic conditions and the interventions of National Food Security Mission, especially inducing substantial higher consumption of quality seeds and nutrients, would result in higher productivity and production.

“They were confident that if the current weather conditions continue favourably, there would be no problem in achieving the production target of 75.5 million tonnes fixed by the Government”, the statement added.

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Centre hopeful of 75.5 mt wheat output

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