Govt projects record wheat production this yr; wheat acreage up 3.18 pc

The government on Friday projected record wheat production in the ongoing 2022-23 crop year July-June as total area sown to the winter crop has increased by 3.18 per cent to 312.26 lakh hectares so far in the ongoing rabi winter season.

The government on Friday projected record wheat production in the ongoing 2022-23 crop year (July-June) as total area sown to the winter crop has increased by 3.18 per cent to 312.26 lakh hectares so far in the ongoing rabi (winter) season. Sowing of wheat, the main rabi (winter) crop, begins in October while harvesting starts in April. Mustard seed and gram are other major crops sown in the rabi season.

The country's wheat production had declined to 106.84 million tonnes during 2021-22 crop year due to a heatwave in some key growing states, as against 109.59 million tonne in the previous year, as per official data. According to the ministry's latest data, wheat has been sown in 312.26 lakh hectares (ha) in the ongoing rabi season as of December 23, as against 302.61 lakh ha in the year-ago period.

''Thus 9.65 lakh hectare more area has been covered compared to last year,'' the ministry said.

Higher area is reported from Rajasthan (1.99 lakh ha), followed by Gujarat (1.74 lakh ha), Uttar Pradesh (1.57 lakh ha), Bihar (1.51 lakh ha), Maharashtra (1.43 lakh ha), Madhya Pradesh (0.83 lakh ha), Chhattisgarh (0.64 lakh ha), West Bengal (0.24 lakh ha), Jammu and Kashmir (0.23 lakh ha), Karnataka (0.15 lakh ha) and Assam (0.01 lakh ha).

According to the ministry, monitoring of rabi crops sowing has shown that momentum gained in sowing of the crops is ''progressing well''. The increase in area is across all crops, highest being in wheat.

''This increase in wheat area is very assuring in the background of crisis faced by world for wheat availability due to Russia-Ukraine war and for ensuring our own food security. Thus, a record area coverage and production of wheat is expected this year,'' it noted. The ministry also said timely supply of quality seeds of high yielding varieties (HYVs), inputs, latest production technologies, credit, crop insurance, micro-irrigation and post harvest facilities are few of such interventions taken to increase agricultural production and productivity. All these interventions have led to large increase in area under rabi crops this year. As per the data, rice -- which is grown on a small scale in the rabi season -- has also been sown in higher area of 14.42 lakh ha so far, as against 12.60 lakh ha in the year-ago period.

The total acreage under rabi pulses has increased marginally to 148.54 lakh ha so far from 144.64 lakh ha earlier.

Among pulses, gram acreage has increased slightly to 103.37 lakh ha as against 102.65 lakh ha, the data showed.

Oilseeds were sown in higher area of 101.47 lakh ha so far this rabi season as against 93.28 lakh ha in the year-ago period.

Among oilseeds, mustard seed has been sown in 92.67 lakh ha as against 85.35 lakh ha earlier, the data showed.

Total area covered under all rabi crops has also increased to 620.62 lakh ha so far this rabi season as against 594.62 lakh ha in the year-ago period.

The ministry also mentioned that the increased area brought under wheat, oilseeds, pulses and nutri-cereals along with higher productivity due to use of HYV seeds will bring a milestone in foodgrain production in the country. ''This will result in bringing self sufficiency in pulses, reducing import of edible oils and meeting global demands for wheat and millets. The farmers of the country will play major role in making country Aatmanirbhar in agriculture,'' it added.