Lower prices and high input costs are likely to bring down the global acreage under wheat by 1% in 2009-10, with output also estimated to see a drop of 5.38% at 650 million tonne (MT). Lower prices and high input costs are affecting wheat planting in major producing countries, with the global area set to fall by 1% in 2009-10, International Grains Council (IGC) said in a report.

A possible fall in acreage is also expected to affect the total wheat output in countries like the European Union (EU), the US and China, where a sharp decline in production is foreseen in 2009-10, the council said.

IGC predicted global wheat output at 650 MT in 2009-10, down by 5.38% from the previous year. The largest decline is seen in the European Union, the US, China, Russia and Ukraine, the council explained.

Although conditions in the northern hemisphere are generally favorable, production is likely to fall sharply, the IGC said, adding that overall, the global wheat output would be well above average in the next season. The EU, China, India and the US are the four largest wheat-producing countries and together contribute to around 60% of the total gloabl output. For 2008-09, the global wheat output has been projected to be at 687 million tonne, up by 12.8% from the previous year.