Wheat crop pegged at 74 million tonnes: Pawar

New Delhi, Dec 20 (UNI) Production of the current Rabi wheat crop (winter season) is likely to touch 74 million tonnes as area under its cultivation has increased from 210 million hectares (m ha) to 232.59 m ha and the weather punctuated by showers is also conducive for the crop growth, says Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.

According to Meteorological Department forecast, the weather is likely to remain favourable for wheat riping season in February/March too, Mr Pawar told the mediapersons here today.

Besides, that the fertilisers consumption in the Rabi crop has also witnessed an increase of 10 per cent signalling good prospects of the wheat crop, he added.

Mr Pawar said ongoing wholesale price of wheat hovering around Rs 1,000 per quintal would also come down in March 2007 in the wake of good crop prospects and arrival of imported stocks of 5.5 million tonnes of wheat by February-end next year.

In view of sufficient availability of stocks, he said, we would not allow duty-free import of wheat beyond February 20, 2007 already fixed by the government.

Mr Pawar, however, said the import was necessitated by the poor procurement of wheat last April/May, particularly because of below-the-mark performace of BJP-ruled states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.

The Government may allow duty free import of maize on the request of poultry industry.

The cultivation of maize this season has also increased from 6.3 lakh hectares to 8.59 lakh hectares, while area under Rabi pulses is estimated at 11.5 lakh hectares. However, the area under oilseeds cultivation has come down this year.

Mr Pawar said he had called the meeting of State Agriculture Ministers in Delhi on December 22 to discuss the Dr M S Swaminathan Commission's recommendations and also convened the meeting of Chief Ministers in February to deliberate on measures for increasing the farm productivity.

UNI BBS SBA RS1903