Aided by a drop in temperature and scattered rains across Northern States, the country may achieve the targeted wheat output of 84 million tonnes for 2011-12, according to the Directorate of Wheat Research (DWR).

“Overall the crop is in good condition and the Government's target on wheat output is achievable,” said Dr Indu Sharma, Director of the Karnal-based DWR.

Wheat output in 2010-11 stood at an all-time high of 85.95 mt and the Department of Agriculture is targeting an output of 84 mt for the current year.

The recent rains and hailstorms in Punjab and Haryana have not affected the rabi crop. “The rains and prevailing lower temperature will help the growth of the crop which is in tillering to jointing stages,” Dr Sharma told Business Line .

December is when the tillers (stems) are formed and the temperatures have been lower than normal in the previous weeks. “Temperature less than 20 degrees is good for the crop,” Dr Sharma said.

On the detection of yellow rust disease in Northern States, Dr Sharma said it was not alarming as there is no widespread occurrence. Measures to control the spread of disease are being taken by creating awareness among farmers and the appropriate fungicides are being made available, Dr Sharma added.

Wheat sowing in the current rabi season is almost over and the area was up by one per cent to 28.42 million hectares over previous year's 28.34 million hectares. Sowing is expected to go on till end January in areas where harvest of sugarcane and potato was on. The final area under wheat in 2010-11 was 29.4 million ha.

In the current rabi season, wheat sowing was up by a tenth in Madhya Pradesh at 4.77 million ha , while in Rajasthan it was up 13 per cent at 2.67 million ha. In Uttar Pradesh, the area under wheat was marginally down at 9.41 million ha, while in Gujarat it was down 16 per cent to 1.01 million ha.

vishwa@thehindu.co.in

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