India sees lower 2016 wheat harvest at 93.82 million tonnes: Agriculture Ministry

The lower expectation is due to depletion of sparse soil moisture after two straight droughts

Indian farmers are expected to harvest 93.82 million tonnes of wheat in 2016, lower than a target of 94.75 million tonnes, the agriculture ministry forecast on Monday, after two straight droughts depleted some of the already sparse soil moisture.

India, the world's biggest wheat producer after China, produced 86.53 million tonnes of wheat in 2015, the agriculture ministry said.

The government revises its crop output estimates as it gets more information about crop planting.

Indian farmers plant wheat in October and November, and harvest starts from March.