Near-record wheat output expected

India, the world’s second-biggest wheat grower, aimed to harvest a near-record crop this year as a revival in the monsoon over the past month raises water levels in major reservoirs, the farm ministry said yesterday.

The output might be 79 million tonnes, compared with last year’s record 80.6 million tonnes, the ministry said. Production target for the winter-sown rice was set at 14.5 million tonne and barley at 1.55 million tonnes, it said on its website.

A drought in almost half the country, the world’s largest producer of rice, wheat and sugar, has damaged crops, including paddy and oilseeds, and raised concerns about food shortages. Farmers would be asked to begin sowing wheat earlier than usual this year to help make up for a loss in the monsoon cereal output, Farm Minister Sharad Pawar had said last month.

Rainfall this month would benefit the winter season crops and might help compensate for loss of production in the monsoon season, the farm ministry said.

A revival in rain from mid-August has replenished water levels in reservoirs. Farmers use this water to grow wheat and oilseeds planted between October and December.

The nation’s 81 main reservoirs were 57 per cent full on September 16, up from 51 per cent a week ago.

Wheat, sowed in October and harvested starting March, makes up for more than 70 per cent of India’s winter grain output.