Plans afoot to enhance wheat output

With the demand for wheat going up drastically in the country in the last two years, the Union government plans to increase the output by encouraging the farming community and bringing more areas under wheat cultivation.

Union Minister of State Akhilesh Prasad Singh said on Friday that one of the main reasons for decline in supply of wheat was the dietary habits.

"Besides, the overall production of wheat had also come down. However, we are seeing encouraging signs in the last two years. The demand for wheat has picked," he said addressing a meet on 'Wheat and Wheat Products Vision 2020'.

He pointed out wheat was also being diverted towards production of bio-fuels. "All these factors led to the shortage of wheat in the market. We are taking steps to set right the gap between demand and supply," Singh added.

He said the government planned to spend close to Rs 25,000 crore on the Rashtriya Kisan Vikas scheme aimed at revitalising the agricultural sector.

"Plans to enhance wheat production are part of the scheme," he said and added that the minimum support price on wheat had been increased to Rs 1,000 per quintal to bail farmers out of crisis whenever there was surplus production.

Speakers at the meeting emphasised the need to add value to wheat products to increase the reach.

"Value addition to wheat and wheat by-products will not only increase the demand for this crop, but will improve the reach creating new market for the product," said Central Food Technological Research Institute Director V Prakash.