Page 7 - Wheat

Despite missing purchase goal, Centre's wheat stocks better than last year

But with the Covid-era free food grain schemes rolled back, the stock position may be more comfortable, even as exports have been banned

Wheat output may surpass govt estimate of 112.18 mn tonnes on higher yields

India's wheat production may surpass the government's estimate of record 112.18 million tonnes in the 2022-23 crop year (July-June) on a likely jump in crop yields in major growing states despite inclement weather affecting the grain quality in some parts, Agriculture Commissioner P K Singh said on Thursday. Weeks before the untimely rains, the government in its second estimate released in February projected wheat output at 112.18 million tonnes for the 2022-23 crop year. The previous record in wheat production was 109.59 million tonnes in 2020-21 crop year. "Overall, the wheat production is likely to surpass the estimate of 112.18 million tonne on account of better crop yields," Singh told PTI. The crop yields have improved in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh even as the untimely rainfall during the harvesting stage in the March-April period has caused damage to the grain in terms of lustre loss and high moisture, he said. The yields have improved on account of climate resistanc

Govt's wheat procurement up 42% at 25.2 mn tonness so far in 2023-24

The government's wheat procurement has reached 25.2 million tonnes so far in the ongoing 2023-24 marketing year, up 42 per cent from the year-ago period, according to the Food Ministry. The procurement so far has already breached the 18.8 million tonnes mark achieved in the full 2022-23 marketing year (April-March). With the ongoing procurement of wheat and rice, the foodgrains stock levels are on the rise in the government granaries ensuring food security to the entire nation, the ministry said. Wheat is the main rabi crop and the government has kept a procurement target of 34.15 million tonnes for the current marketing year. Although the marketing year runs from April to March, the bulk of the procurement is done between April to June. "Nearly, 25.2 million tonne procurement of wheat has been done till 9th May, 2023. This figure is 7.5 million tonnes higher than the corresponding date during the 2022-23 rabi marketing year," the ministry said in a statement. A major contribution

Bad weather damages wheat, other crops in Himachal's Una district

Rabi crops sown on about 10,000 hectares of land in Una district have been damaged due to bad weather and the total loss was estimated at around Rs 26.59 crore so far, Una Deputy Commissioner Raghav Sharma said on Friday. He informed that about 11,000 tonnes of the wheat crop has been damaged as per the latest reports and directed the officials of the Agriculture and Horticulture Department to prepare a detailed report on damage to crops. The Deputy Commissioner also instructed the Patwaris to go to the field along with the officials of the Agriculture and Horticulture Department and prepare a detailed report of the damage to the crops and send it immediately so that the affected farmers/gardeners are provided compensation on the basis of crop insurance scheme. Sharma said that in the horticulture sector, around 2,250 farmers suffered losses of around Rs 18.25 lakh as bad weather hit fruit trees and plants.

1.5 mn tonnes wheat lying in state mandis, getting wet due to rains: Hooda

Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Tuesday blamed the BJP-JJP government for the delay in the lifting of wheat crop and the acute lack of arrangements in mandis. The former Haryana chief minister alleged that lakhs of metric tonnes of wheat in the mandis got wet in the rain due to the negligence of the government. While the Meteorological Department had several days in advance predicted a wet spell at the beginning of May after which despite repeated demands by the Congress, the government neither arranged for the lifting of the crop from the mandis nor provided tarpaulin and bags to protect the crop from rain, he claimed in a statement here. "15 lakh metric tonnes of wheat lying in the mandis of the state is getting wet, and the government remains a mute spectator. Due to the delay in lifting, the farmers have not even been paid. "Till now the government has also not even given compensation for the crop damage due to rains that happened in the past..." the Leader of Oppositi

Wheat procurement reaches 19.5 mn tonnes in FY24, surpasses FY23 purchase

The government on Thursday said that wheat procurement has reached 195 lakh tonnes so far in this marketing year that started in April, surpassing the total purchase made during the previous year. "The procurement of wheat during RMS (rabi marketing season) 2023-24 has already surpassed the total procurement of RMS 2022-23," an official statement said. Rabi marketing season runs from April-March, but bulk of purchases happen between April and June. "In RMS 2022-23, the procurement was 188 lakh tonnes. However, till April 26th, 2023, wheat procurement during RMS 2023-24 is 195 lakh tonnes. "This has largely benefitted the farmers. MSP (minimum support price) outflow of about Rs 41,148 crore has already been made to about 14.96 lakh farmers during the ongoing wheat procurement operations," the statement said. Major contribution in the procurement comes from three wheat producing states of Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh with procurement of 89.79 lakh tonnes, 54.26 lakh tonnes and

Wheat acquisition payout estimated at Rs 12,750 crore in Uttar Pradesh

Nonetheless, the global wheat supply chains are fairly stabilised this year, which augurs well for the domestic procurement of the rabi crop in different states, including UP

Wheat procurement picks up but may face headwinds in some states

"Wheat procurement is progressing smoothly," a senior food ministry official told PTI

Govt relaxes wheat procurement norms in Punjab, Haryana, C'garh, Rajasthan

The Centre has relaxed quality norms for wheat procurement in Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, and Rajasthan to prevent distressed sale as well as protect the interest of farmers, a senior official said on Tuesday. The recent untimely rainfall, hailstorm and high velocity wind have damaged the standing wheat crop, which was ready for harvest, in some parts of these states. These state governments had demanded the relaxation in procurement norms. Currently, wheat procurement is underway in Madhya Pradesh, while it has been delayed in other states because of untimely rains. State-owned Food Corporation of India (FCI) along with state agencies undertake the procurement of wheat. "After the field survey, we have relaxed the quality norms for procurement of wheat in Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana and Rajasthan in order to reduce hardship of farmers and to avoid distressed sale of wheat," Subodh Kumar Singh, Additional Secretary in the Union Food Ministry, told PTI. The government has relaxed t

Wheat output in FY24 may decline by 1-2 mn tonnes due to untimely rains

FCI has procured 700,000 tonnes wheat so far, up from 200,000 tonnes last year

TMS Ep405: Wheat crop, discount brokers, markets, overweight stocks

How have unseasonal rains affected wheat crops? What are discount brokerages? What should investors expect from Q4FY23 results? What are overweight and underweight stocks? All answers here

10% of wheat crop damaged due to untimely heavy rains, says Centre

The Centre on Monday said about 8-10 per cent of the wheat crop is estimated to have been damaged due to recent untimely rains and hailstorms in key producing states, but better yield prospects in late-sown areas are expected to make up for the production loss. Despite the recent inclement weather, Agriculture Commissioner P K Singh asserted that the country's total wheat production will touch a record 112.2 million tonnes this year as per the second estimate of the agriculture ministry. India is one of the major producers of wheat, a key staple for a significant population, and the crop damage scenario also comes against the backdrop of persisting high inflation and food security woes globally amid geopolitical uncertainties. Since the last few weeks, major wheat-growing states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have received unseasonal rains accompanied by thunderstorms, hailstorms and gusty winds due to the Western disturbances at a time when the crop was almost

Nearly 80% of new wheat arrivals in mandis so far of inferior quality

With the weather likely to improve in the days to come, the moisture content in wheat is expected to go down, helping the crop fetch a better price

After wet March, IMD predicts drier April for wheat growing northern India

No abnormal heatwaves are expected; El Nino to hit around June-Sept

Marginal impact of untimely rains on wheat crop, say top officials

FCI says on track to achieve FY24 procurement target; no lifting of export ban

Approximately 11,000 MT of wheat procured in current Rabi season: FCI chief

Procurement of wheat for Rabi marketing season 2023-24 has been to the tune of 10,727 metric tonnes till March 27 as compared to nil procurement last year.

29% uptick in Madhya Pradesh farmers registering to sell wheat at MSP

Among other major wheat producers, procurement in Punjab is targeted at 13.2 mt, Haryana at 17.5 mt, and UP at 3.5 mt

Export ban on wheat to continue; record output likely: FCI CMD

Wheat production will not be affected due to recent rains, confident of achieving the output target, he added

How wheat prices moved after FCI began liquidating stocks via open tenders

Millers see CPI inflation for atta reducing more sharply going ahead, as prices have already started softening at the mill gate

Millers see bumper wheat crop in FY24, but prices to stay around MSP

In 2021-22, the Centre first estimated wheat production at 111.32 million tonnes, which was scaled down to 107.74 million tonnes owing to bad weather