The rising mercury might have expedited the harvesting of wheat in Punjab and Haryana this Rabi season but this is unlikely to make much dent on total arrivals in the market.
The final assessment of the total crop is available after the harvesting is complete but the statistical information available with the departments of agriculture of both the states explains that there is not much to worry.
Haryana agriculture department is anticipating marginal impact of the soaring temperature on the wheat productivity in the state. Apprehensions had been raised earlier on account of the above normal temperature in March and April that overall wheat output in the state could be adversely affected.
According to senior agriculture officials the soaring of temperature could ‘marginally’ impact the productivity of wheat, but the increase in area under the crop could probably undo the damage.
Wheat output for Rabi season in Haryana is anticipated close to 11.4 million tonnes as projected by the state agriculture department earlier.
According to agriculture officials, the area under wheat in the state has increased from 24.62 lakh hectares last year to 24.7 lakh hectares this year. The increase in area could probably upset the impact of soaring temperature on wheat productivity and help meet the target production.
More From This Section
According to the officials, a meeting of farm officials from various districts across the state was called recently and inputs taken from them suggested while few areas could bear the brunt of weather, others would show increase in productivity.
The areas which have reported late sowing of the crop are likely to be impacted by the change in weather conditions.
As much as 51.27 million tonnes of wheat arrived in the mandis of Haryana till April 19, as compared with about 46.28 million tonnes in the corresponding period last year.
Head of Wheat Research Institute at Karnal, S S Singh dismissing the speculations of temperature impacting productivity maintained, the wheat output in India was likely to touch 82 million tonnes due to increase in area under wheat.
The total arrival of wheat in Punjab during the current procurement season is likely to touch 11.5 million tonnes as compared to 11 million tonnes last year. The wheat arrival in different mandis of the state picked up after April 13 and the arrival as on April 19, is 7 per cent higher than the corresponding period last year.
According to the data, as on April 19, 6.90 million tonnes of wheat arrived in different mandis of the state, against 6.43 million tonnes during the corresponding day last year. Also, like last year, this year also the procurement is being dominated by the government agencies.
Officials in the food and supplies department said they were expecting the total arrival during the current season in different mandis of the state to touch 11.5 million tonnes as compared with 11 million tonnes last year.