Wheat Production

The government on Wednesday further tightened wheat stock holding norms for wholesalers, small and big chain retailers, and processors to curb hoarding and check price rise. "As part of continuous efforts to moderate prices of wheat, the central government has decided to revise the wheat stock limit applicable until 31st March 2025," the food ministry said in a statement. According to the revised norms, wholesalers are now allowed to maintain wheat stock up to 1,000 tonne instead of 2,000 tonne, retailer can hold 5 tonne for each outlet instead of 10 tonne, while big chain retailer can hold 5 tonne for each outlet instead of 10 tonne earlier. Processors will be allowed to maintain 50 per cent instead of 60 per cent of their monthly installed capacity multiplied by the remaining months till April 2025. The stock limits on wheat were first imposed on June 24 and later revised to tighten the norms on September 9 in order to manage the overall food security and to prevent hoarding and

Wheat sowing area rose marginally by 2.28 per cent to 239.49 lakh hectares in the ongoing rabi (winter) season, while oilseeds acreage fell by 4.34 per cent to 86.52 lakh hectare, according to agriculture ministry data released on Monday. Wheat, the primary winter crop, is typically planted from November and harvested between March and April. Pulses acreage increased marginally to 120.65 lakh hectares as on December 6 of this rabi season from 115.70 lakh hectares in the previous year, with gram covering 86.09 lakh hectares and lentil 14.75 lakh hectares. Coarse cereals sowing remained flat at 35.77 lakh hectares, with jowar occupying 19.38 lakh hectares and maize 10.07 lakh hectares. However, oilseed sowing remained lower by 4.34 per cent at 86.52 lakh hectares, compared to 90.45 lakh hectares in the previous year. Rapeseed-mustard seed coverage dropped to 81.07 lakh hectares from 84.70 lakh hectares, while groundnut seed area decreased to 2.31 lakh hectares from 2.51 lakh ...

The record prices are likely to lift retail inflation that surged to a 14-month high in October, driven by a jump in vegetable prices and dashing hopes of an interest rate cut by the RBI next month

Some farmers in exporting nations, such as Australia and Canada, are holding back sales in anticipation that prices will climb even higher

The millers argue that wheat prices at current levels of around Rs 2,700-2,800 per quintal are well justified, given that the MSP of the crop has been raised

The government has revised upwards wheat production at record 112.92 million tonne for the 2023-24 crop year (July-June) in its third estimate. The output, which has been revised upwards by 0.91 million tonne from the second estimate, is also higher than the previous record high of 110.55 million tonne achieved in the 2022-23 crop year, the agriculture ministry said on Tuesday. Wheat, the main rabi (winter) crop, has been harvested and over 26 million tonne has already been procured by the central government at minimum support price. In its third estimate, the agriculture ministry has projected increase in rice output to 136.7 million tonne for 2023-24 from 135.75 million tonne in the previous crop year. However, the total foodgrain output is estimated slightly lower at 328.85 million tonne as compared to the level achieved in 2022-23 but higher by 21.1 million tonne from the last five years' average of 307.75 million tonne. Among pulses, tur output is pegged higher at 3.38 millio

Wheat procurement for the 2024-25 marketing year has surpassed last year's total of 262.02 lakh tonnes, boosted by strong contributions from the northern states of Punjab and Haryana, the government said on Friday. In a statement, the government said 262.48 lakh tonnes of rabi (winter)-sown grain has already been purchased for the central pool, benefiting 22.31 lakh farmers, with a minimum support price outflow of Rs 59,715 crore. The major procuring states were Punjab with 124.26 lakh tonnes, Haryana with 71.49 lakh tonnes, Madhya Pradesh with 47.78 lakh tonnes, Rajasthan with 9.66 lakh tonnes and Uttar Pradesh with 9.07 lakh tonnes. Wheat procurement normally runs from April to March, but the Centre this year allowed states to make purchases based on crop arrivals. In most states, the procurement began in early March. The government has set a wheat procurement target of 300-320 million tonnes for the 2024-25 marketing year. Rice procurement is also progressing smoothly, with 728

Wheat inventories in government warehouses fell to 9.7 million metric tons at the start of March, the lowest since 2017

The farm ministry in February predicted a record harvest of 112 million tons this year, and farmers will begin collecting crops in April

Adverse weather could limit growth in wheat production and complicate the government's efforts to build stocks

The government has projected wheat production at a record 112.01 million tonnes for the 2023-24 crop year (July-June) in its second advance estimate, sources said on Thursday. The wheat output is estimated to be 1.46 million tonnes higher than the previous record high of 110.55 million tonnes achieved in the 2022-23 crop year. In its second advance estimate, sources said the Agriculture Ministry has projected total wheat output at 112.01 million tonnes for the 2023-24 crop year. Wheat, the main rabi (winter) crop, is ready for harvest and procurement is set to begin from next month onwards in some states. The government has set a conservative procurement target in the range of 30-32 million tonnes for the 2024-25 rabi marketing season (March-April), as against the actual procurement of 26.2 million tonnes in the previous year. The ministry releases three estimates before the final projection at different stages of plant growth and harvesting.

The total area sown to wheat has crossed 340 lakh hectares in the current rabi season of the 2023-24 crop year (July-June), but pulses coverage remained lower, according to the agriculture ministry data released on Friday. The sowing of wheat, the main rabi (winter) crop, that began in October has been completed. Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Punjab are the top three states having the maximum area under wheat coverage. As per the ministry's latest data, wheat has been sown in 340.08 lakh hectare as on January 19 of the ongoing rabi season, as against 337.50 lakh hectares in the year-ago period. While area sown to coarse cereals and oilseeds remained higher than the previous year, the coverage of pulses and paddy was down in this rabi season. Pulses have been sown in 155.13 lakh hectares in 2023-24 rabi season, down from 162.66 lakh hectares in the previous year. Area under gram, urad and moong remained lower, the data showed. However, lentil (masur) area is higher at 19.51 l

The country's wheat production is expected to be good this year amid higher coverage, according to Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda. The sowing of wheat, the main rabi (winter) crop, that began in October has been completed. Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Punjab are the top three states having the maximum area under wheat coverage. "As per the sowing data, wheat has been covered in more area and we expect good production this year," Munda told PTI. As per the ministry's data, the total acreage under the wheat crop remained higher at 336.96 lakh hectares till the last week of the current rabi season of the 2023-24 crop year (July-June), as against 335.67 lakh hectares in the year-ago period. On January 3, Food Corporation of India Chairman and Managing Director Ashok K Meena indicated that the country could achieve a new record in wheat production at 114 million tonnes in the ongoing 2023-24 crop year provided weather conditions remain normal. Wheat production stood at a record

Wheat production is expected to touch a new record of 114 million tonnes in the ongoing 2023-34 crop year on higher coverage and provided weather conditions remain normal, a top food ministry official said on Wednesday. The last leg of sowing of wheat, the main rabi (winter) crop, is underway and will continue till next week. Till last week, wheat was planted in 320.54 lakh hectares, as per the official data. Wheat production stood at a record 110.55 million tonnes in the 2022-23 crop year (July-June), compared to 107.7 million tonnes achieved in the previous year. "We expect that total area under cultivation of wheat will increase this year and God willingly if the climate is alright the production will be 114 million tonne that's what the agriculture ministry has indicated informally to us," Food Corporation of India (FCI) Chairman and Managing Director Ashok K Meena told reporters. Area sown to wheat crop is also showing an increase compared to the last year. There was a deficit

Acreage was around 19 million hectares till last week

Every rice eater in the world has felt the pinch of India's export restrictions

The government on Friday increased the bid quantity under the open market sale scheme for wheat offered from the central pool to 200 tonne with effect from November 1 as part of efforts to further stabilise prices of wheat and wheat flour. To boost supply of wheat in the domestic market, bulk buyers like flour millers, and small traders can now bid for 200 tonnes in e-auction as against 100 tonnes currently under Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS). Food Corporation of India, the government's nodal agency for procurement and distribution of foodgrains, is offloading wheat from its buffer stock under the OMSS. Consequently, the total quantity offered per e-auction across the country has also been increased from 2 lakh tonne to 3 lakh tonne, the statement said. The increase in the bid quantity is aimed at enhancing the availability of wheat in the open market and to further stabilise the prices of wheat, it said. State-owned Food Corporation of India (FCI) is selling wheat and rice from

The government on Wednesday revised downwards the wheat production by 2.19 million tonnes to a record 110.55 million tonnes for the 2022-23 crop year ended June, as per the agriculture ministry data released on Wednesday. The country's actual wheat production stood at 107.74 million tonnes in the 2021-22 crop year (July-June). The ministry releases three estimates before the final one at different stages of harvesting. As per the final estimate of foodgrain production for the 2022-23 crop year, wheat production has set a new record at 110.55 million tonnes but remains lower by 2.19 million tonnes from the third estimate of 112.74 million tonnes for the same crop year. Unseasonal rains during the harvesting time have led to some loss, resulting in the revision of the crop estimate downward in the final estimate. As per the final estimate, rice production is estimated to be a record 135.75 million tonnes in 2022-23 against 129.47 million tonnes in the previous year. Coarse cereals

Sowing of wheat, the main rabi (winter) crop, begins in October, while harvesting starts in March and April

The higher forecast almost entirely reflects better prospects for global wheat production, now pegged at 783.3 million tonnes, buoyed by improved outlooks in several countries