India likely to import more as output set to fall

Wheat production in India will probably fall short of a government forecast, spurring the world’s second-biggest grower to import a large quantity amid declining domestic inventory.

Production is set to total 91 million tonnes in the 2016-17 crop year, according to the median estimate of eight traders and analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. That’s the lowest since 2014-15 and compares with the government’s estimate for record 96.6 million tonnes this season. Imports in 2017-18 may total two million tonnes, the second highest level in 11 years, the survey shows.

India scrapped its import duty in December and has been purchasing high-protein grain from