Punjab, Haryana eye 285 lakh tonnes wheat for rabi 2012-13

CHANDIGARH: Punjab and Haryana -- the major wheat growing states of the country -- are eyeing wheat output of 285 lakh tonnes (LT) for the rabi (winter) sowing season 2012-13, which is 8 per cent lower than the all-time high crop production witnessed last season.

Both the states are also anticipating a marginal fall in acreage of the crop.

As paddy harvesting is still going on in both the states, wheat sowing has not picked up pace with Haryana seeing crop sowing trailing, officials said here.

Punjab has set wheat production target of 161 LT for 2012-13 season as against the highest ever production of 179.82 LT achieved last season on the back of favourable weather conditions and lack of any pest attack.

"We have kept a wheat output target of 161 lakh tonnes for the current season," a senior official of the Punjab Agriculture Department said here.

Aided by prolonged winter, the state recorded its highest-ever wheat yield of 50.97 quintals per hectare last season, he said.

"This year, we are aiming wheat yield of 46.93 quintals a hectare," he said.

Punjab has projected wheat acreage of 35 lakh hectares as against 35.28 lakh hectares observed last season, official said.

"Farmers get assured income and assured marketing of wheat that is why area under winter crop does not go down," the official added.

The neighbouring state Haryana has kept wheat output target of 124 LT with 25.05 lakh hectares of area under cultivation for the current rabi season.

Haryana also posted record wheat production of 130.69 LT last season with 25.22 lakh hectares of area, an official of the Haryana Agriculture Department said.

"We are targeting wheat yield of 49.50 quintals a hectare as compared to 51.82 quintals per hectare achieved last season," he said.

To achieve higher wheat output, Punjab and Haryana are advising farmers to grow high yielding varieties, including HD 2967, PBW 621, DBW 17, HD2894, HD 2851, etc for the current season.

"We are also advising farmer not to grow PBW 343 variety which is vulnerable to fungal disease -- yellow rust. We are gradually bringing phasing out PBW 343 variety," Haryana Agriculture Department Additional Director B S Duggal said.