Acreage of Malwi wheat increases by 3% during Rabi season

The acreage of Malwi (durum) wheat crop has increased to 9.10 lakh hectares, registering a growth by 3 per cent during the ongoing Rabi season.

"According to our estimates Malwi wheat, popular for its nutritious values, has been sown on about 9.10 lakh hectares of agricultural land during the ongoing Rabi crop season. This acreage was about 8.85 lakh hectares during last year's season," Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) Head, SV Sai Prasad told PTI today.

He said that the climate so far has been favourable for the sowing of Malawi wheat and it was expected that this would result in good production.
 

Prasad informed that the durum wheat is called 'Malwi' or 'Kathiya' in colloquial language. This wheat is considered ideal for making the food items like Suji (Semolina), Dalia (porridge) or Pasta. Malawi wheat is rich in nutrition like iron, zinc, fiber, yellow pigment and beta keratin.

Malwi wheat is sown on 15 per cent of total agricultural spread of the state. The Agriculture Department has set the target of the wheat sowing in state on 63 lakh hectares during the ongoing Rabi season.