Indian Meteorological Division has excellent news for wheat farmers

The wheat crop, which has been estimated at a file 112.02 million tonnes by the federal government, could also be spared by nature this time easing considerations of all stakeholders after India Meteorological Division (IMD) on Friday predicted regular to beneath regular most temperature in March. Presently, all are watching India’s wheat crop intently as to how would be the manufacturing after two successive years of beneath expectation harvest.

The utmost temperature throughout second and third week of March may be very essential to be careful because the wheat crop, which is grown in winter, is inclined to excessive temperature which shrivels the grain. In 2022, wheat manufacturing in India was severely affected as a consequence of excessive temperature weeks earlier than the harvest.

From the 2022-23 crop season (July-June), the federal government had procured 26.2 million tonnes (mt) of wheat out of the targetted 34.15 mt and solely 18.8 mt was purchased in opposition to the goal of 44.4 mt from crop yr 2021-22. The Agriculture Ministry on February 29 launched the second advance estimates of crop output for the 2023-24 crop yr, the place wheat manufacturing has been pegged at file 112.02 mt.

Southern peninsula to bear the brunt

Releasing IMD’s climate outlook for summer time season (March-April-Might) in addition to for March, the climate bureau’s Director-Basic Mrutyunjay Mohapatra stated whereas the south peninsula and western elements of the Central meteorological subdivision comprising Gujarat and Maharashtra could witness above regular most temperature, the north-west India is prone to be regular or below-normal.

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Throughout March, IMD stated above-normal heatwave days are possible over most areas of north-interior Karnataka, Marathwada area, Telangana and south Andhra Pradesh. Mohapatra stated the nation is prone to file above-normal rainfall in March — 117 per cent of the long-period common of 29.9 mm.

La Nina emergence

Additional, he stated above-normal most temperatures are more than likely over most elements of the nation, besides over some remoted areas of north-west, north-east, central and peninsular India the place regular to below-normal most temperatures could also be noticed through the scorching climate season (MAM). Additionally, above regular minimal temperatures are more than likely over most elements of the nation throughout these three months.

Whereas he attributed the hotter season to continuance of El Nino, he additionally stated that it could turn into ENSO impartial by June as per most international fashions. La Nina circumstances — typically related to good monsoon rainfall in India — are prone to set in by the second half of the monsoon season, he stated.