"Due to the inadequate, irregular and bad distribution of rains in the major wheat growing areas, the output may not be as good as last year," said Barua. Following increase in acreage under cultivation and good weather conditions, the country had harvested a record wheat crop of around 73 million tonnes of wheat last year.

Barua, however, said it was too premature to predict the exact prospects as sowing was still on in certain regions. "By and large the area under wheat is slightly less than last year as on date," he said. The agriculture ministry had set the production target for wheat at 74 million tonnes at its `National Conference on Agriculture for Rabi Campaign 1999-2000'.