The Wheat acreage in Punjab would remain more or less same this year as compared to 35.10 lakh hectares last year, on account of crop diversification. This year, the state agricultural department has targeted to cover 35 lakh hectares under wheat. However, the total targeted production is likely to be slightly lower as compared to last year. The state agriculture department is expecting a total production of 155.40 lakh metric tonnes this year as compared to 164.72 lakh metric tonnes last year.
Speaking to Business Standard, senior officials in state agriculture department mentioned that the last year, the state witnessed bumper crop as yield touched an all time high of about 47 quintals per hectares. They further added there is huge variation in day and night temperature which might affect the yield this year. However, they are keeping their fingers crossed and said that an early rain can boost the productivity. This year, the estimated yield is about 44.40 quintal per hectare. According to the officials of the state agriculture department, the total targeted area under wheat cultivation this Rabi season would be about 35 lakh hectares slightly less than last year acreage of 35.10 lakh hectares, as the state government is putting lot of thrust on crop diversification. However, the exact area is yet to be compiled, as the sowing is in progress. According to the officials about 85-90 per cent sowing has been done and the remaining would be completed by this month.
It is pertinent to mention here that last year, the state the state agriculture department has projected that the total area under wheat cultivation would touch 35 lakh hectares, but the sown area stood around 35.22 lakh hectres. It is worth noting that 90 per cent(during the Rabi season) of the total area in the state is under wheat cultivation and rest is under oil seeds, pulses, barley etc.
To increase the yield the centre has identified 10 districts in the state under National Food Security Mission(NFSM). In order to increase the wheat production in the state, the centre has selected 10 districts of the state namely, Mohali, Ropar, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Ferozpur, Bathinda, Barnala, Tarn Tarn & Sangrur under National Food Security mission(NFS). Under NFS, the farmers would be provided with a subsidy of Rs. 500 per quintal for wheat seeds in these 10 districts.
In the current season, 5 lakh quintal seed would be distributed to the farmers on subsidised rate Besides that the state government under NFS would also distribute over 30,000 seed minikits each of 10 Kg of high yielding varieties of wheat to the farmers of these 10 districts.
