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Hindustan Times
29-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Haryana: Wheat yield up by 30% in last decade: Data
The wheat yield per hectare (Ha) in the country grew from 2,750 kgs during 2014-15 rabi season to 3,587 kgs in 2024-25, which is nearly a 30% increase, the Karnal-based ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research (IIWBR) said. Accordingly, the wheat yield stood at 3,587 Kg/Ha for this season, recording a mild increase from 3,559 kg/Ha from last year, while annual production also rose from 113.29 million tonnes (MT) in 2023-24 to 117.51 MT this season. (HT File) Wheat scientists said that yield refers to the amount of crop produced per unit of land area, typically measured in kilograms or tonnes per hectare. Yield is considered a key indicator for agricultural productivity and quality of land, reflecting how much crop is produced from a particular area, they said. Accordingly, the wheat yield stood at 3,587 Kg/Ha for this season, recording a mild increase from 3,559 kg/Ha from last year, while annual production also rose from 113.29 million tonnes (MT) in 2023-24 to 117.51 MT this season. The data was prepared according to the third estimate figures by the union ministry of agriculture and farmers welfare released last month. The ministry is likely to release fourth and final estimate by end of July or August, the scientists said. Figures shared by IIWBR, also showed that the country witnessed a 36% rise in annual production from 86.52 MT in 2014-15 to 117.51 MT in a decade's time, while also recording an increase in area under wheat from 314.6 lakh hectares to 327.6 lakh hectares during the period. During the last season, the area under wheat was 318.33 lakh hectares. Wheat production more than target As per the figures of the third estimate, the wheat production achieved this year so far (117.51 MT) is slightly above than the target of 115 MT. This is an all-time high in the history of wheat production in India. India is the world's second-largest wheat grower after China. During an interaction with Hindustan Times, IIWBR director Ratan Tiwari highlighted that the deployment of climate resilient seed varieties and assured price on crop are primary reasons behind this record. 'DBW187, DBW303, DBW222, HI1634 and HD3386 were the top breeder seed indented varieties distributed by the institute to the farmers in the country. We consider DBW187 as a mega variety or pan-India variety. Better reach for the seeds is also the reason there has been a whooping rise in wheat yield in the last one decade,' he said. 'Moreover, there is a growing awareness among the farmers about changing weather patterns and they are shifting more to new heat-tolerant varieties. I believe that despite temperature fluctuation during the early months of this year, there was no fall in productivity, because of these seed varieties. Also, no disease and crop lodging also helped in achieving this. The grain quality also appears good,' he added.
Hindustan Times
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan: Lack of quality seeds, market for produce among major challenges for farmers
As the 15-day nationwide 'Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan' (VKSA) ended with a programme by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Gujarat on Thursday, heads of the ICAR institutes in Karnal presented the summary of Haryana chapter of the campaign, putting poor availability of quality seeds, lack of marketing access and awareness regarding crop insurance, loans and other subsidies as major challenges before farmers. National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) director Dheer Singh, who was the Nodal Officer for VKSA in Haryana, said that 902 teams worked to gather the issues and written feedback or grievances were taken from the farmers during the campaign from May 29 to June 12. At a press conference at his office, Singh said that the teams comprising scientists from the central institutes, with support from the state government and other institutes visited 3,482 cluster villages in all 22 districts of the state and had a direct interaction with nearly 4.5 lakh farmers. 'We received feedback of more than 10,000 farmers and some common among them will be clubbed for a final report to be submitted with the higher authorities,' the NDRI director said. Ratan Tiwari, director, ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research (IIWBR); Shiv Kumar Yadav, head, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), regional station, Karnal; Rajan Sharma, joint director, NDRI, BS Meena, principal scientist and coordinator of VKSA in Karnal and others also joined the media interaction. Officials said that the campaign announced by Union minister Chouhan last month, aimed to create awareness among farmers about modern technology and new seed varieties, while also laying the foundation for advanced agriculture, modern farming techniques, introducing welfare schemes of the government and also hearing their grievances. Among the major challenges faced by the farmers, NDRI and IIWBR directors said, is chronic shortages and poor timing of DAP, urea, gypsum and other as well as frequent adulteration in fertilisers, insecticides, oil cakes and seeds. 'Also among the major problems captured during the discussion were over use of nitrogen-based fertilisers, particularly urea, need for effective management strategies against Bakanae disease in rice, poor seed germination and high weed pressure in direct-seeded rice (DSR). Farmers demanded introduction of high-yielding, salt-tolerant varieties of rice, wheat, and other major crops as well as short-duration rice varieties to support crop diversification and timely sowing, high-yielding crop varieties suited for natural and organic farming systems and strengthening of public sector hybrid development programs in rice, maize, and vegetables were other suggestions,' IIWBR director Tiwari said. Similarly, NDRI director said that they were told about persistent delays and blockages in subsidy disbursement, severe delays in crop insurance claims and cumbersome process of agri or animal loans. 'There is a strong demand for agricultural implements like DSR machines, mulchers, balers, paddy straw balers and others. We also came across the fact that there is a need for para-veterinary services at village and block level and there has been poor coordination in animal husbandry services as often the insemination services are done by untrained personnel. In dairies, farmers demand guaranteed and uniform milk pricing, reduction of middlemen and direct-to-customer sales via local markets or apps. There were numerous complaints about lack of marketing access for produce like crops, honey, milk, paneer, vegetables and others,' Singh added.
Hindustan Times
04-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Wheat purchase in Haryana surpasses last year's figures
Wheat procurement at Haryana mandis has already surpassed last year's figures by 3.22 lakh metric tonnes (MT) till May 2, a statewide report made available on the e-kharid portal of food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department, show. As per the figures, the agencies have purchased 68.44 lakh MT of wheat from the mandis across the state till May 2, as against 65.22 lakh MT during the corresponding period last year. In both the rabi seasons, the government officially started the procurement process on April 1. According to the district-wise chart of this year, Karnal tops the state with 7.81 lakh MT purchase till date, followed by Kaithal (6.93 lakh MT), Jind (6.77 lakh MT) and Fatehabad (5.89 lakh MT). The report also shows that the agencies have lifted 79.75% (55.72 lakh MT) of the procured crops at the purchase centres in the state, while the wheat arrival stands at 69.95 lakh MT. Haryana has set a target to procure 75 lakh MT wheat of the total production of about 116.24 lakh MT. Wheat has been sown in an area of 24.63 lakh hectares in the state. As the purchase enters its last leg, the harvesting of wheat is also at its final stages. Jaswinder Saini, deputy director, agriculture (DDA), Ambala, said that nearly 95% of the harvesting has been completed under his region. Similarly, the Haryana agriculture and farmers' welfare department also conducted a large-scale crop-cutting experiment (CCE) in every district that concluded in the last week of April, to assess the average productivity of wheat. Wazir Singh, DDA, Karnal said, 'Though the final report will be released later this month, preliminary findings suggest that the average wheat yield stands at about 24 quintals per acre, which is nearly a quintal higher than last year's average. The department conducted CCE survey at nearly 1,700 wheat fields across various villages in the district.' Moreover, experts at the ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research (IIWBR), Karnal, are confident that the overall wheat production in the country will rise as the weather has been favourable throughout the period and high-yielding variety of seeds have also contributed to better grain quality over the years. As reported last month, Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan during his visit to the IIWBR, also showed hope that despite climatic change and increasing temperatures, the country will witness record wheat production during the season.
Hindustan Times
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Moving towards record wheat production this year: Chouhan
Union agriculture and farmers' welfare minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday expressed high hopes that the country will witness record wheat production during the ongoing Rabi season and that has been only possible due to high yielding variety of seeds developed by the wheat scientists. The minister said this during 'Krishak Sanwad', a dialogue with the farmers and wheat experts organised at Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research (IIWBR) in Karnal. Chouhan, who was on a day long visit here, also inaugurated a Genome Editing Lab funded by 'Enhancing Climate Resilience and Ensuring Food Security with Genome Editing Tools', one of the schemes by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The lab aims to utilise modern genomic tools to enhance desired traits for better adaptation and enriched grain quality, the IIWBR said. '25% increase in production in last decade' During a brief interaction with Hindustan Times, Chouhan said that despite climatic change and increasing temperatures, the productivity of wheat has not declined in the country. 'It is a proud moment for the country that despite the climate change, there has been an increase in wheat production by 25% in the last one decade, since Narendra Modi took over as Prime Minister of the country. The farmers and scientists have done a commendable job,' he said. When asked about this year's figures for wheat yield, the union minister said, 'Our teams are currently gathering data from the fields, and it will be shared as and when it is compiled.' However, Chouhan said that at the farmer's gathering, a local peasant Vikas Chaudhary informed him about getting wheat yield of 70 quintals per hectare (nearly 28 quintals per acre) at his farm using seeds from IIWBR. 'The wheat and barley institute has so far developed bio-fortified verities of wheat that are climate resilient and water intensive, and we aim to develop more of them,' he added. Senior agricultural officials said that the field surveys are underway in several regions of Haryana as well and are likely to conclude by the end of the month. The country is aiming to achieve an annual wheat production of 115 million tonnes (MT) in the 2024-25 season as against 113.2 MT achieved during the last season, which was an all-time high. India, which is the second-largest wheat grower after China, achieved this feat despite a fall in area under cultivation. During his public address with the farmers, the minister said that there was time in the 1960s, when the country was depended on 'rejected' wheat from the United States and now it is not only self-reliant, but is also exporting the crop to other countries, in free of cost to a few of them. 21st convocation at NDRI Earlier in the day, the minister also chaired the 21st convocation ceremony of ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI). The minister conferred degrees to a total of 201 students from various out of which 32 students were awarded BTech degree, 98 students were awarded master's degree and 71 researchers were awarded PhD degrees NDRI director Dheer Singh said the Best Thesis Research Award was given to Liza S, Animal Physiology in the Doctoral Programme; Poornima, Dairy Technology in the Processing Group and P Akshith Sai in Social Sciences and Management. Similarly, awards were also given to students of the master's programme as well, while Dairy Extension Division of the NDRI was handed over the Best Division Award for the year 2024. During his address, the minister urged the students to think beyond salary packages and become a citizen with values for the society, also aiming to provide employment and skills to the youth. The chief guest further added that convocation is an opportunity to take a pledge when the students completing their education ponder over imparting the nation a novel direction. Bhagirath Chaudhary, Union minister of state for agriculture Raghavendra Bhatta, deputy director general (Animal Science), ICAR MS Chauhan, vice chancellor GBPUAT Pantnagar Srinivas Rao, director ICAR-IARI Pusa Campus other officials of the institute and local dignitaries were present. In the evening, Chouhan was the chief speaker at a program organised by the Indian Medical Association on 'One Nation-One Election'.
