WHEAT CROP - AGRICULTURE
News: Wheat
output and inflation
What's in the news?
● The
next 15-20 days could decide how much wheat India is going to produce - but
maybe not the course of food inflation.
● Currently,
the crop in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, largely sown during the first half
of November, is in the ‘milk to early dough’ stage.
Wheat:
● Wheat
is the second most important staple food
after rice consumed by 65% of the population in India and is likely to increase
further due to changes in food habits.
● Wheat
is mostly consumed in the form of ‘chapati’ in our country for which bread
wheat is cultivated in nearly 95 percent of the cropped area.
● Durum wheat,
which is most suitable for making macaroni, noodles, semolina and pasta
products, occupies about 4 to 5% of the area, and is predominantly grown in
Central and Peninsular parts of India.
Cultivation:
● There
are two important wheat producing zones in the country such as
○ Ganga-Satluj
plains in the north-west
○ Black
soil region in the Deccan.
● In
North India, wheat is sown in October - November and harvested in March -
April.
● In
South India, it is sown in September-October and harvested in December -
January.
Climate and Soil:
● Wheat
is a rabi crop that requires a cool growing season and bright sunshine at the
time of ripening.
● Temperature:
Between 10-15°C (Sowing time) and 21-26°C (Ripening & Harvesting) with
bright sunlight.
● Rainfall:
Around 75-100 cm.
● Soil Type:
Well-drained fertile loamy and clayey loamy (Ganga-Satluj plains and black soil
region of the Deccan).
Production:
● Top Wheat Producing
States: Uttar Pradesh > Punjab > Haryana
● Top Wheat Producing
Countries: China > India > Russia.