Area under wheat crop dips by 1.48 pc so far in Rabi season

NEW DELHI: Wheat acreage has dropped by 1.48 per cent to 268.54 lakh hectares so far this season from 272.54 lakh hectares (LH) in the year-ago period, as per government data.

As sowing of wheat, a major Rabi crop, comes close to completion by next week, lower acreage indicates that the total area sown under wheat in the current season is unlikely to cross last year's level of 278.4 LT.

It means the country's wheat production may either fall or remain at the same level at 80.58 million tonnes achieved in the 2008-09 season. Sowing in Rabi season starts from October and harvesting of the winter crop takes place during March-April.

The government is targeting to produce additional 2 million tonnes of wheat in the 2009-10 season by increasing acreage. It, therefore, raised the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat by Rs 20 to Rs 1,100 a quintal for 2010-11 marketing season starting April 2010.

The official data shows a decline in area under jowar and oilseeds as well. Jowar acreage has come down marginally to 44.27 LH till January 7, from 48.90 LH in the same period last year. Similarly, oilseeds acreage declined to 84.23 LH from 90.01 LH in the review period.

However there is a breather, the acreage of pulses and rice, whose prices have risen sharply in the recent period, showed an increase so far in this season.

According to official data, the total area under pulses rose to 133.04 LH till January 7, from 124.79 LH in the year- ago period, while that under rice jumped to 6.38 LH from 5.23 LH.

As of now, gram has been sown over 84.38 LH, lentil over 15.57 LH, urad over 6.76 LH and moong over 4.68 LH, it said. Maize acreage also rose to 9.46 LH from 8.98 LH, while barley acreage moved up to 7.63 LH from 7.15 LH in the review period.

The government has set a target of surpassing last year's Rabi foodgrain production by 8.5 million tonnes to partly offset losses in output of summer-sown crops. India produced about 116 million tonnes of foodgrain during last Rabi season.

Drought in almost half of the country and floods in South India had affected the Kharif production. Foodgrain output is estimated to slump by 21 million tonnes in Kharif season this year, mainly contributed by rice.