Due to Russia-Ukraine war, India’s wheat exports could touch a new record of 10 million tonnes in 2022-23, up from a record seven million tonnes in the current financial year.
- Russia-Ukraine crisis has not only attracted global buyers to India but also pushed the price of Indian wheat from around $320 per tonne (FOB) to over $360 per tonne in less than 10 days.
- Russia and Ukraine together comprise 25 per cent of the world’s wheat exports.
- Although India is the second-largest wheat producer in the world, it accounts for less than 1 per cent of the global export of wheat.
- India has large inventories of the grain and has recently had five consecutive record annual crops.
- It will be to India’s advantage as the new rabi (winter) wheat crop will be available in the market from March 15 onwards compared to other global wheat producers. Other global players will enter the market later after the end of their summer season.
About Wheat Crop
- Wheat is the main cereal crop in India. Wheat is mainly a rabi (winter) season crop in India.
- Indian wheat is largely a soft/medium hard, medium protein, white bread wheat, somewhat similar to U.S. hard white wheat. Wheat grown in central and western India is typically hard, with high protein and high gluten content.
- India also produces around 1.0-1.2 million tons of durum wheat, mostly in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Most Indian durum is not marketed separately due to segregation problems in the market yards.
Climate requirements
- It can be grown not only in the tropical and sub-tropical zones, but also in the temperate zone and the cold tracts of the far north ,beyond even the 60 degree north altitude .
- Wheat can tolerate severe cold and snow and resume growth with the setting in of warm weather in spring . It can be cultivated from sea level to as high as 3300 meters.
- The optimum temperature range for ideal germination of wheat seed is 20-25 C though the seeds can germinate in the temperature range 3.5 to 35 c.
- During the heading and flowering stages, excessively high or low temperatures and drought are harmful to wheat. Cloudy weather, with high humidity and low temperatures is conducive for rust attack.
- Soils with a clay loam or loam texture, good structure and moderate water holding capacity are ideal for wheat cultivation.
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