Unseasonal rains, hailstorms may cut wheat output by up to 10%
Unseasonal rain and hailstorms have damaged wheat crops across 111 districts in India, with production likely to fall 5–10% and quality affected in up to 30% of harvest. While overall output remains strong, the government may relax procurement norms to support farmers facing weather-related losses.
New Delhi: Unseasonal rain and hailstorms during March and April have hit wheat crops across 111 districts in nine States, with overall production likely to decline by 5–10 per cent, according to a report by Agriwatch prepared for the Roller Flour Millers Federation of India, The Hindu Businessline reported.
The report also flagged concerns over crop quality, noting that up to 30 per cent of the harvest in affected areas may suffer from shrivelled grains and loss of shine. This comes even as the government has projected a record wheat output of 120.21 million tonnes for the current season.
Data shared with the industry body shows that damage levels vary widely, ranging from 3 per cent to as high as 25 per cent across districts. In key wheat-growing States such as Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Bihar, harvesting has been completed in only 10–15 per cent of the area so far.
The worst impact has been reported in districts including Amritsar, Hoshiarpur and Rupnagar in Punjab, Rewari in Haryana, Hamirpur in Uttar Pradesh, Begusarai in Bihar and Dakshin Dinajpur in West Bengal, where crop losses are estimated between 15 per cent and 25 per cent.
In areas where the crop had reached maturity, 25–30 per cent of the standing crop has been damaged in affected districts. At the same time, around 51 districts across eight States are likely to see relatively lower losses of 3–5 per cent.
While Rajasthan’s Bikaner district is estimated to record a 3–5 per cent drop in output, it was among the worst hit in terms of physical damage due to hailstorms on April 2.
The Centre has set a target of procuring 303.36 lakh tonnes of wheat for the Central Pool by June 30. Following requests from State governments, teams have been sent to assess the situation in Rajasthan and Haryana, where authorities have sought relaxation in quality norms for procurement.
Earlier this week, Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra said the overall wheat outlook remains positive, but acknowledged the need to review quality standards in affected regions. He assured that necessary relaxations would be granted if required to ensure farmers do not face difficulties in selling their produce.
Agriwatch, in its earlier assessment, had also highlighted issues such as crop lodging and damage to mature wheat due to hailstorms, which could impact grain quality in several districts.
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Source : Chinimandi
