Wheat: Wheat sown in 30.86 mn hectares to date; local weather resilient seeds planted in over 60 per cent space

As per the agriculture ministry information, wheat sown space stood at 30.86 million hectares until December 22 of the continued rabi season, barely decrease than 31.44 million hectares within the year-ago interval.

“It’s because there was a delay in wheat sowing in some elements the place paddy harvesting bought late. In any other case, wheat sowing is progressing properly,” Singh advised PTI.

Conserving in thoughts the terminal warmth downside that wheat farmers confronted final 12 months, the federal government this 12 months has promoted local weather resilient wheat varieties and saved a goal to cowl 60 per cent of the overall cropped space, he mentioned.

“We’ve exceeded the goal as heat-resistance varieties have been sown in additional than 60 per cent of the cropped space to date. Final 12 months, these varieties have been sown solely in 45 per cent of the realm,” he mentioned.

This could assist farmers face the terminal warmth downside if it happens once more in March-April 2024, he added. It’s pertinent to notice {that a} scorching heatwave in March 2022 had lowered wheat yield in north and central Indian states. To arrange farmers to cope with heatwaves prematurely, the Agriculture Commissioner mentioned the federal government has began issuing weekly scientific advisories educating them find out how to care for the crop at completely different progress levels and climate situations.

“Earlier, we used to situation advisories on a fortnightly foundation, however this 12 months we’re doing it weekly so as to put together farmers properly prematurely,” he mentioned, and added that creating consciousness and getting ready farmers to face eventualities will assist in addressing manufacturing issues.

As per the information, space sown to wheat in Uttar Pradesh has elevated to 9.44 million hectares until December 22 of the 2023-24 rabi season, from 9.29 million hectares within the year-ago interval.

Nevertheless, wheat space sown in Madhya Pradesh was barely decrease at 8.17 million hectares, as towards 8.39 million hectares within the mentioned interval.

In case of Punjab and Haryana, wheat sown space was virtually finally 12 months’s stage of three.49 million hectares and a couple of.31 million hectares, respectively until December 22 of this rabi season.