Rising temperatures cast a shadow on wheat production, prices, says report

If the prevailing high temperatures continue through March, then the rabi wheat crop will be impacted and yields will at best be on a par, or even lesser marginally, than last year’s low, warns a report.

In Uttar Pradesh, which accounts for around 30 per cent of wheat production, the eastern part is expected to have relatively good yields due to timely sowing after the kharif paddy harvest.

But the western UP may see a marginal decline due to late sowing if the high temperatures persist in March, research agency Crisil said on Wednesday. In Punjab and Haryana, which together contribute 25 per cent of annual wheat production, late-sown wheat is in the flowering stage, while the early-sown lot is in the milking stage and high temperatures are detrimental to grain formation in both these stages, the report added.

Similarly, in Madhya Pradesh which produces 20 per cent of annual wheat, the late-sown wheat is at the milking stage now. But Bihar, which contributed 5 per cent of production, has seen early sowing and the crop there is at the grain formation/maturation stage, which could mean relatively less impact.