Wheat sowing delayed, acreage unlikely to go up

October 15 to November 15 is considered the ideal period for sowing wheat

The sowing of wheat for the kharif season started late and stretched to a longer duration in major producing states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, thanks to delayed harvesting of paddy and thundershowers in the last week.

The ideal period for sowing wheat is from October 15 to November 15. In Punjab, the shift to Basmati from non-Basmati varieties has resulted in late harvest, as the Basmati is a longer duration crop. The wheat sowing in some high productivity zones of Punjab might be delayed due to late harvest of paddy, confirmed Indu Sharma, Director Wheat Research Institute, Karnal.

Thundershowers in the last week in northwestern parts of India have hampered wheat sowing as they created a crust on the soil, she added.

Despite a modest hike of Rs 50 per quintal in the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat ( MSP of wheat after revision is Rs 1,450 per quintal), farmers are geared up to repeat the same acreage as last year.

The proportion of contribution of states might vary this year, as all states will be on a level-playing field with no bonus over MSP. So the states that procured more wheat last time might go slow this time.

“There is no possibility of increase in acreage that was 31 million hectares last year,” said Sharma but the yield of wheat to a large extent depends on temperature and humidity at the terminal stage (in March). A cool climate with adequate humidity is crucial for the high yield, added Sharma.

The withdrawal of bonus in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh under the directions of the Central government might cause some dent in the scale of procurement in these states. The Madhya Pradesh government is planning to compensate farmers in lieu of bonus in some other way but no announcement has been made as yet. In UP, farmers have almost completed harvesting of sugarcane, despite mills have yet not lifted cane as they are yet to start crushing. However, sowing has begun in a small way and will pick up.

“The withdrawal of bonus on MSP of wheat may help in higher procurement from Uttar Pradesh, which could procure only 0.4 million tonnes as against the target of 3 million tonnes in the rabi season (2013-14) due to diversion of wheat in the neighbouring states,” said an official from Food Corporation of India.