Global wheat output may dip to 659 MT

The global wheat production may decline by 2.37 per cent to 659 million tonnes (mt) in 2010, while output in India, the world's second-largest producer of the grain, is expected to remain stable at last year's level.

"Assuming trend yields, production is projected at 659 mt, 6 mt more than in January, but still 16 mt short of the 2009 total," London-based International Grain Council (IGC) said in its latest Grain Market Report.

The total harvested area is forecast to fall by 0.8 per cent to 222 million hectares in the 2010 season, it said. IGC said that output in India may remain at last year's level, while it may dip in the US, China and Turkey.

Wheat crops around the world have their own unique production cycles of planting and harvest time-frames. Wheat crop in India, which is due for harvest this month, is expected to be at last year’s level of 80 mt, IGC said.

Accroding to the official data, Indian farmers have so far sown wheat in 27.81 million hectares compared with 27.58 million hectares in the same period last year. In the US, the IGC report added that output is estimated to be lower by 6 mt at 54 million hectares in 2010. "In the US, late harvesting of maize and oilseeds and wet weather has reduced winter wheat plantings. There was a sharp decline in soft red winter wheat. Spring wheat sowing is unlikely to increase due to low profitability," it said.

Similarly in China, wheat crop is expected to be lower than last year, it added.