Latest acreage data shows 25% increase in the sown area under wheat as on December 9 this year compared to the corresponding period of 2021. Overall sown area of rabi (winter sown) crops reported nearly 15% higher acreage this year compared to last year with other crops such as pulses, oilseeds and coarse cereals too reporting higher acreage.
Incidentally, states like UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Punjab that had reported decline in paddy acreage have reported increase in acreage of wheat — the main rabi crop — which pushed the overall acreage of winter sown crops by 68 lakh hectares more this year compared to corresponding period acreage of last year.
“These states had reported decline in acreage of water-guzzling paddy due to deficient monsoon rains. But now such states could make up for the loss in case of wheat, using groundwater and other irrigation facilities. Wheat does not require water like paddy,” said an official in the agriculture ministry.
Production of kharif foodgrains is expected to decline by nearly 4% with the biggest slide of 6% being recorded in the output of paddy during 2022-23 crop year over 2021-22. First advance estimates of kharif crops, released by the agriculture ministry in September, showed the estimated overall production of foodgrains at nearly 150 million tonnes (MT) in 2022-23 compared to 156 MT in previous year. As far as paddy is concerned, the decline is expected to be around 7 million tonnes in the current crop year (July-June cycle) compared to 2021-22.
“Since wheat contributes substantially to the food-grain basket, it is expected to make up for the loss which was estimated in the case of paddy. It will be reflected in the second advance estimates of food-grain output for 2022-23,” said the official.
