Punjab, Haryana target over 24.8 MT wheat output

Punjab and Haryana, which account for 70 per cent of India’s wheat output, have targeted to produce 24.85 million tonnes of the grain in the winter season although the area under cultivation of the crop would decline.

”We are targeting to bring 3.4 million hectares under wheat cultivation to achieve 14.5 MT of wheat output during the coming rabi season,” a senior official of the Punjab Agriculture Department said here on Monday.

Punjab last year brought 3,40,000 hectares under wheat cultivation and attained record output of 15.72 MT on account of favourable weather conditions and increase in area under cultivation due to higher MSP.

Haryana has also decided to bring 2.4 million hectare under wheat cultivation in the coming season to have 10.35 MT of production, Haryana Agriculture Department Additional Director B S Duggal said. Last year, the state brought 2.4 million hectares under wheat with a total output of 10.2 MT.

Wheat sowing will be carried out in both the states from October 25 to November 15.

Significantly, although both the states have lowered their estimates regarding area under wheat cultivation, wheat experts feel the area would rather increase compared with last year’s area.