The area under wheat cultivation in India is expected to remain stable during the ongoing rabi season, despite earlier deficient monsoon rains. This stability has raised hopes for another bumper harvest in the crop year ending June 2027.
ML Jat, secretary in the Department of Agricultural Research and Education and director general of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, told Mint that major wheat-producing states are fully irrigated through tubewells or canal networks. This reduces vulnerability to rainfall variations, ensuring that wheat cultivation remains unaffected by weather changes.
The agriculture ministry has set a wheat production target of 121 million tonnes for the 2026-27 crop year, slightly higher than the record output of 120.7 million tonnes from the previous year. The acreage under wheat was 33.6 million hectares last year, according to farm ministry data.
Wheat stocks in the central pool stood at 47.44 million tonnes as of September 16, well above the required 27.58 million tonnes. This surplus provides flexibility for the government to manage food security requirements and market demand. However, stable prices depend on market trends and procurement costs, not just stock levels.