Govt Aiming At Higher Wheat Output Target

The government is aiming at a higher growth target of wheat production by urging farmers to opt for newly-developed resistant varieties in the next sowing season.

Although wheat production in the country is expected to be higher by 3.26 per cent during 1996-97 and touch 64.66 million tonnes compared to 62.62 million tonnes in 1995-96, we are working towards a much higher growth rate, an agriculture ministry official said here.

District level officers are asking farmers to keep weeds under control besides suggesting increasing the areas under timely sown crop in all zones to achieve higher productivity.

We are also organising seed production programmes with emphasis on production of seed of latest released strains and varieties recommended for restrictive environment such as salt-affected soils and hilly regions, the official said. Besides organising extensive compact block demonstrations of new varieties and recommending package of practices in the respective wheat growing regions, we have started conducting training programmes on wheat production technology and cropping systems before the crop season starts, the official said.

 

Agriculture scientists are confident that wheat productivity would be raised with the introduction of suitable green manure crops in the rice-wheat rotation using the gap between wheat harvest and rice planning. Asked if the induction of new thrust and technologies would render the crop more expensive, the official replied in negative saying it would be still much cheaper than the imported wheat.

The landed cost of imported wheat works out to about Rs 7,100 per tonne on an average against Rs 6,763.8 on wheat procured from domestic market at minimum support prices. In view of this difference of about Rs 336 per tonne, the government took a decision to import wheat during the last season only after considering relevant factors like stock position in the central pool and the production in the country, the official said.

As for the cost of domestic production of wheat, it stood at Rs 369 per quintal in Punjab during 1996-97 against Rs 353 in 1995-96.

While in Haryana the cost worked out to Rs 338 per quintal in 1995-96, it stood at Rs 513 per quintal in Madhya Pradesh during the period.