Wheat coverage did not show any progress last week as it has been nearly completed. Farmers and other stakeholders are now praying for a “safe harvest” this year to save the crop from any unnatural climate-related impact. The first crop is expected to reach after three weeks, and good weather so far has created hope of a bumper harvest.

The absolute increase in area under wheat is now at 5.49 lakh hectare (lh) from its year-ago level, which has been almost constant throughout the season. Wheat reached at 319.74 lh in the ongoing rabi season of the 2024-25 crop year (July-June), as per the Agriculture Ministry data released on Monday. The acreage was 318.33 lh last year.

No pest woes

States have reported normal situation with regard to supply of power, diesel, irrigation water, seed and fertilizers. There are also no reports of any pest incidence from anywhere, officials said. The major concern is about temperature in the coming three months, which will decide the crop output, the officials said. The target has been set at 115 million tonnes (mt) in the current year.

“As the acreage is likely to end up higher from last year, the country can expect a bumper output, which is close to our target,” said an official source. In the final estimate for 2023-24 crop, the government has pegged wheat output at record 113.29 mt due to higher acreage.

The India Meteorological Department has forecast below-normal rainfall during January-March this year. Rain in January will be above normal, though.

Total area under all rabi crops this year has reached 622.76 lh as on January 3 from 621.52 lh year ago. Winter paddy acreage is a tad higher at 16.93 lh from 16.77 lh and pulses at 137.17 lh from 136.02 lh. Area under main rabi pulse chana (gram) has been covered in 94.45 lh against 93.17 lh while masur (lentil) sowing has reached at 17.43 lh against 17.76 lh year-ago.

Coarse and nutri-cereals acreage is almost at par at 52.17 lh aginst 52.83 lh while oilseeds area dipped to 96.74 lh from 101.64 lh. India’s traditional oilseed mustard has reportedly sown in 88.5 lh, compared with 93.73 lh in the year-ago period, as many farmers shifted to wheat on weather concern during mid-November.