Punjab and Haryana, which contribute close to 90% of the total wheat in the national buff-er stock, are expecting a bum-per crop this year due favourable weather conditions and increase in area under wheat cultivation .
In Punjab and Haryana, wheat harvesting begins from April13, the auspicious Baisakhi day. Balwinder Singh Sidhu, director, agriculture, Punjab, said “We are keeping our fingers crossed for a favourable temperature during March as it would be crucial for the wheat crop”. He said wheat acreage had crossed the normal area. Also, low temperature in December, which is crucial for tilling, clear days and sunshine were suggestive of a good crop.
This year, of the total target of about 135 lakh tonnes, Punjab is likely to contribute about 85 lakh tonnes, while Haryana about 40 lakh tonnes. Officials said the government’s intervention through the National Food Security Mission and higher minimum support price (MSP) would also ensure better contribution to the central kitty. Another reason for the likely rise in procurement would be the Rs 250 per quintal increase in MSP of wheat. An MSP of Rs 1,000 per quintal may encourage farmers to bring their stocks to the markets. Also, wheat arrivals in the market may be higher as prices have remained almost constant.
A former director of seed certification in Haryana, GS Virk, said “Punjab and Haryana have sown wheat on about one lakh acre more area this year in comparison with the previous year”. “Farmers, especially of Punjab and Haryana, have responded favourably to the increase in MSP with higher coverage under the crop”, he added.
Punjab has seen a jump of 13,000 hectares under wheat cultivation this season while Haryana saw a rise of 39,000 hectare in area under wheat. The actual area under rabi crop in Punjab reached 34.80 lakh hectares this season compared with 34.67 lakh hectare during last season, up 0.37%. In Haryana, wheat was sown on 24.15 lakh hectare against 23.76 lakh hectare last year.
Alok Sinha, chairman, Food Corporation of India, who was here, said in 2007-08, total procurement by FCI was 112 lakh tonnes, below the fixed target, as farmers had resorted to hoarding in the hope of getting a higher price. In 2008-09, FCI is expecting procurement of close to 135-145 lakh tonnes of wheat. “If Punjab and Haryana contribute about 85 l.t and 40 l.t wheat, we expect western UP, Uttarakhand and parts of Rajasthan to pitch in to enable FCI to reach a procurement target of between 134-145 lakh tonnes” he added.