India's Wheat Output Steady Despite Weather Challenges: Govt

While sections of the media have highlighted concerns over weather-related stress, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare emphasise that the season has been "mixed but resilient," supported by strong adaptive measures adopted by farmers and encouraging procurement trends across key states.

The wheat crop, sown across an estimated 33.4 million hectares, benefited significantly from early and timely sowing, which contributed to an expansion in acreage compared to the previous year.

Notably, there have been no reported incidences of major insect pests or diseases during the season, and weed infestation remained minimal during critical growth stages, further supporting crop health.

However, the season was not without its challenges. Unusually high temperatures in February exposed the crop to heat stress during the grain-filling stage, potentially reducing yields in some regions. Additionally, untimely rainfall and hailstorms toward crop maturity caused localized damage, affecting both grain quality and output in certain pockets.

Despite these setbacks, the overall production outlook remains cautiously optimistic.

Government officials point to compensatory factors such as an additional 0.6 million hectares brought under cultivation, which is expected to offset localised losses.

The increasing adoption of early sowing practices has also helped crops escape terminal heat stress. Furthermore, an improved varietal replacement rate has accelerated the uptake of high-yielding, climate-resilient, and disease-resistant wheat varieties, enhancing the crop's ability to withstand both heat and biotic stresses.

Procurement data further reinforces the positive outlook. In Haryana, wheat arrivals in mandis have already crossed the government's procurement target of 75 lakh metric tonnes (LMT), with 56.13 LMT procured so far -- about 9 LMT higher than the corresponding period last year.

Madhya Pradesh has also reported strong output, prompting the government to raise its procurement target from an initial 78 LMT to 100 LMT following requests from the state.

Maharashtra, too, is witnessing steady growth in wheat production, estimated at around 22.90 lakh tonnes for 2025-26, as per the government data.

- IANS