An absolute increase in wheat sowing area has been reported as of Friday with 9.65 lakh hectares (lh)additional area being brought under the main rabi crop. This is 1.40 lh more than the 8.25 lh extra area until December 16. If the lead is maintained until the end of the season, at least 3 million tonnes (mt) of additional wheat can be produced only due to the rise in the area, provided all other factors remain conducive. The government expects a record output of wheat.

The area under wheat is 312.26 lh so far in the ongoing rabi sowing season, up by 3.2 per cent from 302.61 lh a year ago mainly due to higher acreage reported from Rajasthan, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, according to the Agriculture Ministry’s weekly update. The current acreage is more than the normal rabi sown area of 304.47 lh. In Uttar Pradesh, the largest producer of wheat, the absolute increase in the area has narrowed down to 1.57 lh as of Friday from 2.63 lh as sowing activities nearing completion.

“If the current lead in acreage is maintained till the end, there is a potential to increase the output by at least 3 mt this year,” said an agriculture scientist.

The Ministry said this increase in wheat area is very assuring on the heels of the availability crisis faced in the global market due to the Ukraine war and for ensuring the country’s own food security. “A record area coverage and production of wheat is expected this year,” it said.

Heat wave impact

The government has targeted a record 112 mt production of wheat this crop year (July-June). The output of the winter-grown cereal dropped to 106.84 mt in 2021-22 from 109.59 mt in 2020-21 due to unusual heatwave in March-April that lowered yield.

The total area covered under all rabi crops has increased to 620.62 lh, so far this rabi season against 594.62 lh in the year-ago period.

“Timely supply of quality seeds of high yielding varieties (HYVs), inputs, latest production technologies, credit, crop insurance, micro-irrigation and post-harvest facilities are a few of the interventions taken to increase agricultural production and productivity. All these interventions have to large increase in area under rabi crops this year,” the Ministry said.

Among other crops, paddy has been sown on 14.42 lh as of December 23 against 12.60 lh in the year-ago period, pulses coverage is marginally up at 148.54 lh from 144.64 lh, oilseeds acreage is higher at 101.47 lh from 93.28 lh and coarse cereals at 43.92 lh from 41.50 lh.

Gram acreage has increased to 103.37 lh from 102.65 lh and that of lentils to 17.60 lh from 16.20 lh. Among oilseeds, mustard acreage has jumped to 92.67 lh from 85.35 lh, data show.

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