Cool weather, rain boost bumper wheat crop hopes

Farmers keen on wheat as it provides stable returns; yeild could surpass last year's 95.9 million tonnes

Cool weather and rainfall over the past few days has triggered hope for a higher yield of wheat this year.

If the weather holds, the crops this year — being cultivated over an area of a size similar to last year — could surpass last year’s 95.9 million tonnes (mt).

The rainfall has been helping natural irrigation and the cool weather is ideal for higher tiller age — the number of branches on a wheat plant.

Since the monsoon was below normal, moisture content in the soil is lower. Rain could help recharge the moisture.

“The total area under wheat cultivation was about 31 million hectares in 2013-14. It is likely to remain the same this year but conducive weather may help higher productivity,” said Indu Sharma, project director, Directorate of Wheat Research, Karnal.

She added the area sown till December was three per cent less during the corresponding period in 2013. “We had a crop size of 95.9 mt in crop year 2013-14 and can expect to have a higher produce if the cool temperature persists. As Punjab and Haryana are irrigated states, there is no major variation in area under wheat and a decrease in area under wheat may come from Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.”

The weather in the last week of March and the first week of April plays a crucial role for growth of wheat grain. But the rain and low temperature in January could help the plants have dense growth of branches and give an enhanced yield.

Wheat is a major rabi crop, followed by sugarcane, mustard, gram and pulses.