country's wheat According to Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda, production is expected to be good this year as coverage increases.
The sowing of wheat, the main crop (winter crop), which started in October, has been completed. uttar pradesh, madhya pradeshand punjab These are the top three states with the largest area under wheat cultivation.
„According to sowing data, wheat has been cultivated in more area and we expect good production this year,“ Munda told PTI.
According to the ministry's data, total wheat acreage remained high at 336.96 million hectares till the last week of the rabi season (July-June) for the 2023-24 crop, compared to 335.67 million hectares in the same year. was. previous era.
January 3rd, Food Corporation of India Ashok K. Meena, Chairman and Managing Director, said that if weather conditions remain normal, wheat production could reach a new record of 114 million tonnes in the ongoing 2023-2024 cropping year. He suggested that there was.
Wheat production for the 2022-23 crop was a record high of 110.55 million tonnes, compared to 107.7 million tonnes the previous year.
Regarding the outlook for this year's wheat crop, a senior Agriculture Ministry official said the crop is in good condition and no crop damage has been reported so far.
„The current cold weather conditions are suitable for growing wheat and other rabi crops,“ he said.
More than 70 per cent of the total wheat area in both Punjab and Punjab provinces has been sown with climate-resistant seeds. Haryana This year, he said.
According to the data, the two states have sown wheat on a total area of about 5.9 million hectares this year.
on the other hand, Agriculture The ministry has started issuing regular advisories to assist farmers in managing their wheat crops after sowing is complete.
In accordance with the latest recommendations for the period from January 16 to 30, the Ministry asked: farmers Complete the application of nitrogen fertilizers within 40-45 days after sowing. Farmers have been asked to spray urea just before irrigation for better results.
For late sowing, if a farmer notices both narrow-leaf and broad-leaf weeds in his wheat fields, he can add the herbicide sulfosulfuron 75WG at about 13.5 grams per acre or sulfosulfuron and metsulfuron at 16 grams per acre. It is recommended to apply 120 to 150 liters of herbicide. Water before the first irrigation or after 10-15 days of irrigation.
Farmers are encouraged to visit their farms, keeping in mind the humid weather that is favorable for yellow rust. crops Please periodically observe the appearance of striped rust (yellow rust).
To tackle lodging of early-sown wheat crops, farmers are being asked to provide 'growth regulators' in highly fertile irrigation conditions. To manage frost, you should pay close attention to the Met Office forecast and apply light irrigation to your wheat crop.
The Meteorological Department has predicted rain in northeastern and central India from January 16 to 30, with temperatures expected to drop below normal next week.
The government is taking proactive steps to help farmers prepare to protect their wheat crops in the event of extreme weather events.