Despite unseasonal rains and hailstorms, wheat yields in Punjab are reported to be sufficiently adequate, according to farmers and officials.
The current reported yield is between 21 to 25 quintals per acre, with 10% of the total 3.49 million hectares already harvested. Even in areas affected by rain and hail, preliminary investigations by the state agriculture department suggest the average produce will be around 20-22 quintals per acre, which is considered normal.
Last year, wheat production in Punjab was lower than the estimated 17 million tonnes, at 14.8 million tonnes, due to unseasonal weather conditions. A good harvest is essential for the government to replenish its stock and control inflation, making this year's results particularly important. According to experts, the news from Punjab is encouraging from that perspective.
Gurvinder Singh, the Director of Agriculture, said that a clear picture of the overall production will be available by April 17th, with the results of 2,000 crop-cutting experiments. The Vice-Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University, SS Gosal, noted that yields are better than expected due to ideal growing conditions, but that the actual picture will become clearer once more harvesting is complete. Positive reports are coming from the 17 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) across the state, according to Gosal.
The Punjab Agriculture Department estimates that wheat grain production in the state could reach 16 million tonnes, against prior estimates of 17.2 million tonnes. Last rabi season, a total wheat production of 14.8 million tonnes was reported, and nearly 10 million tonnes were procured. As of now, 1.34 million tonnes of wheat have arrived in state mandis, with 436,000 tonnes arriving on Friday. A total of 2,450 mandis have been set up for wheat procurement.
The State's Department of Food and Civil Supplies anticipates total arrivals of 12 million tonnes, a 20% increase from the last season. While some areas were impacted by hailstorms, the overall wheat yield in Punjab appears to be satisfactory, with expectations of good results as more harvesting takes place in the coming week.
