Wheat arrival in Punjab, Haryana to get delayed by 7-10 days

Wheat crop arrival in Punjab and Haryana is set to get delayed by 7-10 days from the wheat procurement season starting April 1, as the crop is still not fully matured due to extended cold conditions, along with few spell of rain last month.

"Harvesting of wheat crop is expected to start from April 10 in Punjab as crop is still not fully ripened across the state. Therefore, there will be a delay in crop arrival in mandis," Punjab Agriculture Department Joint Director Gurdial Singh told PTI here today. 

Similarly, the neighbouring state Haryana will also see delay in wheat arrival due to unripened crop. "The wheat arrival in mandis will delay by at least 7 to 10 days in the state," Haryana Agriculture Department Additional Director B S Duggal said.  

Extended low temperature, along with rain lashing the northern region, especially in February, has caused delay in the ripening of the crop, officials said. Wheat arrival, though in small quantity, normally starts from April 1 with farmers commencing harvesting in few pockets of both Punjab and Haryana.

Experts after visiting major wheat-growing areas of the states pointed out the colour of wheat was still green and it had not turned 'golden-yellow', which was a sign of maturity. However, farm experts asserted the prolonged cold conditions in north would help in raising the yield of the wheat crop.

"Low temperature facilitates grain formation and it ultimately helps in improving yield of the winter crop. On the contrary, if there is an abrupt rise in mercury, the yield may be affected," Punjab Agricultural University Wheat In charge Indu Sharma said. 

In the Rabi Marketing season of 2011-12, the wheat procurement from Punjab is planned at 110 lakh tonnes and 65 lakh tonnes from Haryana.

On the back of favourable weather conditions, both Punjab and Haryana are eyeing wheat output of 269 lakh tonnes in Rabi season, up by 5 per cent over last year's production.

Punjab, the food bowl of the country, is projecting wheat production of 154 lakh tonnes as against 151.69 lakh tonnes last season. Haryana has revised its target to achieve wheat output of 115.09 lakh tonnes in current season, which will be almost 10 per cent higher than wheat production of 105 lakh tonnes.

Area under wheat cultivation in Punjab stood at 35.15 lakh hectares, while in Haryana it is pegged at 24.75 lakh hectares.