India's wheat planting up 6.6%, rapeseed sowing drops

Indian farmers have planted wheat on 20 million hectares since sowing began on Oct. 1, up 6.6% from a year ago, data from the farm ministry showed on Monday.

Higher planting could help the world's second biggest producer of wheat increase production and bring down prices that hit a record high last week.

By November 29, farmers had planted rapeseed and mustard on 7.6 million hectares, down from 8 million hectares a year ago, the data showed.


The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare updates its provisional crop sowing figures as it gathers more information from state governments.

India's wheat is mainly produced in the northern states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and the central state of Madhya Pradesh.