India: Estimated Wheat Harvest Reaches Record Level

With India’s 2017 wheat harvest complete, USDA estimates 2017/18 production at a record 97.0 million metric tons. According to specialists from the U.S. Office of Agricultural Affairs in New Delhi, who conducted field travel during the harvest campaign in India’s prime wheat region, wheat yields in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab are higher than the previous two years. Wheat is grown during the rabi (winter) period; it is planted from late October through January and harvested in April. Over 90 percent of the crop is irrigated.
The estimated output is up 12 percent from last year, based on a 5-percent year-to-year increase in the estimated harvested area, to a record 31.8 million hectares, and a 6-percent increase in the estimated yield. The increase in area is attributed to strong domestic prices resulting from tight domestic supplies. Both Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, which together account for approximately 50 percent of India’s total wheat production, expanded planted area by 6 and 14 percent, respectively. USDA estimates wheat yield at 3.05 metric tons per hectare (t/ha) compared to 2.88 t/ha for 2016/17. Last year, above-normal temperatures stressed the crop and reduced yield potential. (View temperature graph.)

Planting proceeded without undue delay because the normal monsoon recharged irrigation reserves and provided ample soil moisture for planting. Weather throughout the growing season was generally favorable. Crop vigor was high at the beginning of the season. Conditions during flowering and grain-fill were better than last season and suggest an estimated yield above last year’s level. There have been no reports of disease or pest infestation.

Current USDA area and production estimates for grains and other agricultural commodities are available on IPAD's Agricultural Production page or at PSD Online.

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