Wheat Sowing To Cover Lag: Agri Commissioner

New Delhi, Jan 1 (PTI) The last leg of wheat sowing, which is underway and will continue for the next ten days, would make up for the lag in the crop coverage so far in the 2023-24 rabi season, Agriculture Commissioner PK Singh said on Monday.

Till the last week of the ongoing rabi (winter) season, wheat was sown in 320.54 lakh hectares against 324.58 lakh hectares in the year-ago period, as per the agriculture ministry data.

Wheat is the main rabi crop, sowing of which normally begins in October and harvesting from March to April.

"When you compare to the last five year's average wheat sown area of 307.32 lakh hectares, the wheat sown area is higher so far this year. However, sowing will continue (for the) next ten days and will cover the lag," Singh told PTI.

Wheat sowing is underway in some places where potato is harvested now, he said.

The agriculture commissioner also said climate-resilient seeds have been sown in more than 60 per cent of the total sown area this rabi season.

As per the IMD's long-term forecast, the temperature will be conducive to normal growth of the wheat crop. Due to the adoption of new wheat varieties, the productivity is expected to be higher, he said.

Currently, the wheat crop is in the germination and tillering stage. The crop prospects are seen to be good under the present cool temperature, he added.

The government has fixed a minimum support price (MSP) of wheat higher by Rs 150 at Rs 2,275 per quintal for the 2024-25 marketing year (April-March).