Wheat production in Gujarat may dip 18 per cent this year

Wheat production in Gujarat may decline 18 per cent this year to 3.14 million tonnes on lower acreage, as farmers showed greater interest in long-duration crops like castor.

"According to the advance estimate, wheat production is likely to plummet to 3.14 million tonnes this year from a record 3.83 million tonnes in 2007-08," officials with the state agriculture department said.

Areas under wheat are expected to shrink by 10 per cent to 11.44 lakh hectares in 2008-09 from 12.73 lakh hectares last year. India, the second-largest producer of wheat in the world, has projected the output of the foodgrain at 77.78 million tonnes this year, down from the record 78.57 million tonnes last year.

The state is also likely to witness a decline in cotton output by over three lakh tonnes this year. The cotton production in 2008-09 has been pegged at 79.62 lakh tonnes from 82.75 lakh tonnes in 2007-08, the officials said.

The country is expected to produce 22.17 million bales (one bale is equal to 170 kg) of cotton this year, compared with 25.88 million bales in 2007-08, according to the latest estimate by the Centre.