Due to better crops, wheat production is expected to be a record 114 million tonnes, good temperature will increase the pace

Wheat production is expected to be a record 114 million tonnes in the crop season 2023-24. Production was 11.05 crore tonnes in 2022-23. Food Corporation of India Chairman Ashok K Meena said, that wheat production will increase due to better crops and good temperatures.

The final sowing of the Rabi season of wheat is currently going on, which will continue till next week. So far wheat has been sown in 3.25 crore hectares. Meena said we estimate that the total area under crop will increase this year. On this basis, the Agriculture Ministry has estimated record wheat production.

He said an increase is being seen in the area under wheat sowing. There was a shortage of one per cent in some states, which would be completed in the first week of January. If the production level remains the same, we will be able to purchase more than our requirement and also additional reserves required for the open market sale plan for next year. Under the scheme, 59 lakh tonnes of wheat has been sold since June 2023 and the sale will continue till March.

Meena said, the prices of rice are increasing in the open market, but we are providing rice in large quantities through OMSS. In such a situation, the price is not expected to increase. FCI has been able to sell only 1.45 lakh tonnes of rice at Rs 29 per kg through the weekly auction. FCI has so far purchased 31 million tonnes of rice and the target is 52 million tonnes.