India's wheat output is expected to rise in the current summer season from 72.06 million tonnes a year because of good weather, the farm ministry said on Monday. Wheat, oilseeds and pulses are the main summer crops, grown in November and harvested in March and April. "Widespread winter rains and low temperatures during February have increased the prospects of wheat production," the ministry said in a statement, but did not provide figures.
Farm ministry officials are holding a two-day meeting in New Delhi from Tuesday to finalise the summer crop production estimates.
The ministry said about 26.54 million hectares had been covered under wheat cultivation this year, compared with 26.62 million hectares a year ago.
But the wheat output last year was affected because of rise in temperature in the flowering months of February and March. Government has fixed a production target of 27.8 million tonnes of oilseeds in 2005/06 (October-September).
But output in the past has been hovering around 23 to 24 million tonnes because of low productivity. India is expected to produce about 25 million tonnes of oilseeds in the current year.
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