Wheat

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday said the country's wheat production in the ongoing 2025-26 crop year (July-June) is likely to surpass last year's 117.94 million tonne despite localised damage caused due to unseasonal rainfall and hailstorms. "We believe wheat production to be better than last year," Chouhan told reporters on the sidelines of an event here. The crop is good and there would be a record procurement, he added. Harvesting of wheat -- the main rabi (winter) crop - is almost completed in major growing states. Its procurement is in full swing. The agriculture ministry had projected a wheat production of 120.21 million tonnes in 2025-26 prior to unseasonal rains, higher than last year's actual output. However, the Roller Flour Millers' Federation of India (RFFI) projected on April 14 that output would decline marginally, factoring in recent weather damage. Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra sought to bridge the gap between the two estimates. "While the ...

India, the world's largest wheat producer after China, has allowed exports of the grain this year, lifting a ban on overseas sales imposed in 2022

The agriculture ministry on Sunday asserted that India's wheat production for 2025-26 crop year remains "stable and resilient despite localised damage" caused by unseasonal rainfall and hailstorms, even as an industry body pegged output significantly below the government's earlier forecast. The Roller Flour Millers' Federation of India (RFFI) on April 24 projected wheat output at 110.65 million tonnes for the 2025-26 crop year (July-June), marginally higher than 109.63 million tonnes produced in 2024-25, after factoring in recent weather damage. The projection is well short of the ministry's pre-weather estimate of 120.21 million tonnes, which itself was higher than 117.94 million tonnes recorded in the previous year. Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra sought to bridge the gap between the two estimates. "While the federation has estimated wheat production of 110 million tonnes, the figure given by the agriculture ministry prior to the rainfall is 120 million tonnes. The reality will be .

States seek higher procurement as unseasonal rains damage crops

Although lower output could curb purchases, which have missed wheat ‌buying targets for past 4 years, this is unlikely to cause shortages as India holds stocks at roughly 3 times the required level

The Centre on Monday allowed export of an additional 25 lakh tonne of wheat considering comfortable stock position amid likelihood of another strong harvest. With this, a total of 50 lakh tonne of wheat and 10 lakh tonne of wheat products have now been permitted for exports. "In view of the comfortable production outlook and higher stock availability, permitting additional exports was considered appropriate," the food ministry said in a statement. The export of additional quantity of wheat is expected to enhance market liquidity, facilitate efficient stock management, and prevent distress sales during the peak arrival season. It will also help stabilise domestic prices and strengthen farmers' incomes, while ensuring that the country's food security remains fully safeguarded. The country's wheat production is pegged at 120.2 million tonne for 2025-26 crop year (July-June) as per the second advance estimate of the agriculture ministry. The higher production was due to increase in w

Punjab farmers to block rail tracks tomorrow to demand norm relaxations; Haryana eases quality norms

After years of weak output, production rebounded in 2025 on favourable weather, but a late-February heat spike again this year raised concerns

Despite expectations of a bumper wheat crop, a shortage of around 50 million gunny bags could disrupt procurement operations and strain mandi infrastructure in Punjab.

India's wheat production is estimated at a record 120.21 million tonnes in the 2025-26 crop year, up 2 per cent from 117.94 million tonnes in the previous year, government data showed on Tuesday. Wheat, a major rabi (summer) crop, is beginning to be harvested and is expected to pick up pace in key growing states in the coming weeks. Total rabi crop production is estimated to rise 3.16 per cent to 174.51 million tonnes in 2025-26 from 169.16 million tonnes a year earlier, the agriculture ministry said in its second advance estimate. Pulses output is projected to grow 7 per cent to 16.24 million tonnes in the rabi season of 2025-26 from 15.23 million tonnes a year ago, as the country looks to narrow a demand-supply gap that has left the country dependent on imports. Gram production was pegged slightly higher at 11.79 million tonnes against 11.11 million tonnes, while lentil output was estimated at 1.73 million tonnes versus 1.65 million tonnes. However, urad output is seen lower at

The IMD is expected to release its forecast for March temperatures later this week. It did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the March temperature outlook

Govt is prioritising domestic price stability, stock reduction and arrears prevention

The government has lifted wheat stocking restrictions imposed in May 2025 after private stocks rose sharply and prices softened, though weekly reporting and monitoring will continue

Areas sown to wheat have touched a record 33.41 million hectares in the 2025-26 rabi season, buoyed by good weather, the agriculture ministry data showed. Total area under wheat rose 0.61 million hectares from 32.80 million hectares in the previous year same season. Sowing of wheat and other rabi or winter crops has been completed. The crop will be harvested from March onwards. As per the ministry data, area sown to pulses rose marginally to 13.7 million hectares in the 2025-26 rabi season, compared with 13.3 million hectares in the year-ago. Among pulses, the gram area rose to 9.58 million hectares from 9.12 million hectares. Coarse cereals acreage rose to 5.87 million hectares from 5.59 million hectares. Out of which maize comprised 2.75 million hectares. Oilseeds area rose to 9.68 million hectares during the 2025-26 rabi season from 9.33 million hectares in the year-ago season. Total rabi crops were sown in 65.23 million hectares, up 3.31 per cent from 63.14 million hectares

The government has permitted exports of 5 lakh tonnes of wheat flour and related products, according to a notification. This partial lifting of the ban was eased after a gap of over three years, when the centre banned wheat exports in 2022. India is a major producer of the commodity. "The export of wheat flour and related products shall continue to remain prohibited. However, export to the extent of 5 LMT (lakh metric tonnes) of wheat flour and related products, over and above the existing policy conditions, is allowed," the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has said in a notification dated January 16. Applicants who want to ship the product have to seek permission from the directorate and file an application for that, DGFT said. "The first set of applications shall be invited from January 21, 2026, to January 31, 2026," the DGFT's public notice said. Thereafter, it said, the applications will be invited during the last ten days of each month till such time the quantity

This permission to export wheat products comes just weeks ahead of the 2026 harvest season, in which wheat production is expected to touch a new record

India has nearly completed wheat sowing for the current rabi season, with crop conditions looking promising, Agriculture Commissioner PK Singh said on Thursday. Wheat was sown across 32.26 million hectares as of December 29 in the ongoing 2025-26 rabi (winter) season compared to a total coverage of 32.8 million hectares in the previous year, Singh said. "Barring some parts of Bihar, wheat sowing has been completed across the country. The total acreage may reach last year's level," Singh told PTI. More than 73 per cent of the sown area has been planted with climate-resilient and bio-fortified seed varieties that will help counter any weather aberrations, he noted. "Due to timely and early sowing, the prospects for the wheat crop look bright, and it is in excellent condition as of now. No problems have been reported from wheat-growing areas," the official said. Sowing of pulses and oilseeds has been completed, and rice planting will continue until January-end in southern India, he .

Wheat sowing remained flat at 32.26 million hectares in the ongoing 2024-25 rabi season, while area under pulses and oilseeds rose marginally from a year earlier, agriculture ministry data showed. Wheat, the main rabi or winter crop, was sown in 32.24 million hectares a year ago. The total wheat area stood at 32.8 million hectares in the 2023-24 rabi season. Sowing of wheat and other rabi crops begins in October, with harvesting starting in March. Planting of wheat and other major rabi crops is nearly complete. Rice sowing rose marginally to 1.49 million hectares as of December 26 in the 2025-26 rabi season from 1.30 million hectares in the year-ago period, the data showed. Rice covered 4.47 million hectares in the previous rabi season. Area under pulses reached 13.34 million hectares so far this rabi season, nearing the total area of 13.40 million hectares achieved in the entire rabi season last year. While area sown to chickpea, lentil and green gram surpassed last year's total

According to the data, sowing was completed in more than 21.50 lakh hectares by December 4, the highest in past five years

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