Wheat area at 23.4 mln ha, slightly up on year.

Farmers across the country have sown wheat over 23.4 mln ha, 12,000 ha higher from the year-ago period. Wheat acreage so far is sharply lower than the five-year average of 25.4 mln ha for the period. Though sowing has increased in the traditional wheat growing states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, it was mostly offset by a decline in acreage in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Bihar. Acreage was down in these states due to lower availability of water in soil as well as for irrigation. Wheat needs at least five rounds of irrigation. In many states, poor monsoon rains and low water levels in reservoirs hit acreage. Till last week in Maharashtra, water level in key reservoirs were at 6.95 bcm or 49% of the total capacity, while in Gujarat it was 6.47 bcm or 38% of the total capacity. In Karnataka, the water level in reservoirs was 13.7 bcm or 58% of the total capacity. In Maharashtra, the acreage was down by 46% on year at 289,000 ha, while in Gujarat it was down 38% at 528,000 ha. In Bihar, the acreage was nearly 24% lower on year at 1.2 mln ha. Traders expect wheat output to slide to 91-92 mln tn in the current crop year ending June, due to water stress and chances of a mild winter, sharply lower than last year’s record of 99.7 mln tn. The government has set a wheat output target of 100.0 mln tn for this year.