A Wheat Revolution: Despite Less Area Under Cultivation, India Set To Harvest Over 100 Million Tonnes Of Crop In 2019

India is set to produce 100 million tonnes of wheat in 2019, the highest level of production ever achieved in the country on account of the disease-free crop season reports The Hindu BusinessLine (BL).

“The recent rains have not affected wheat crop. This year, we will have the highest level of wheat production of 100 million tonnes, which is higher than the 99 million tonnes produced last year,” said SK Malhotra, Agricultural Commissioner of India.

Signifying a shift in Indian agriculture, from an area-led growth to one led by productivity, the country produced more grain this year even though the area under wheat cultivation was 1 lakh hectares lower than last year (2018). “On a lesser area, we are producing more. This is the scenario that is emerging,” added Malhotra.

But a wheat Institute predicts a bigger harvest. “The crop’s condition is very good and the prevailing cold climatic conditions are favourable. We are looking at a record crop of around 105 million tonnes this year,” said GP Singh, Director of the Karnal-based Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research.

Good Oil-seed Production Too

Similarly, oilseeds production is also expected to increase to 32-33 million tonnes this year, up from 31 million tonnes produced last year.“What we produce is enough to give us only 10 million tonnes of edible oil, whereas the demand in the country is around 25 million tonnes of oil,” noted Malhotra.

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