Basics – Context of the News
- Background:
- India achieved an all-time high wheat production of 117.51 million tonnes in Rabi 2024–25.
- For Rabi 2025–26, the Union Agriculture Ministry has set a higher target: 119 million tonnes.
- Significance of Wheat:
- Wheat is India’s second-largest foodgrain crop after rice.
- It is the main Rabi crop, covering over 30 million hectares.
- Vital for food security under NFSA and PMGKAY (subsidised grains to ~81 crore people).
- Overall Foodgrain Target:
- Govt has set 171.14 million tonnes for Rabi 2025–26.
- Wheat is the dominant share, followed by pulses, coarse cereals, and oilseeds.
Relevance:
- GS-III (Economy, Agriculture):
- Food security, agricultural productivity, MSP and procurement.
- Crop diversification (pulses, oilseeds, millets).
- Climate-smart agriculture and input management.
- GS-II (Governance):
- Role of policies, schemes (e.g., Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan).
- GS-I (Geography):
- Cropping patterns, agro-climatic zones.
Production Targets for 2025–26 (in mn tonnes)
- Wheat → 119
- Maize → 14.5
- Total Coarse Cereals → 16.55
- Total Shri Anna (millets) → 3.17
- Gram → 11.8
- Total Pulses → 16.57
- Total Foodgrains → 171.14
- Groundnut → 0.74
- Rapeseed & Mustard → 13.9
Key Drivers & Challenges
- Favourable Factors:
- Higher seed availability: 25 million metric tonnes of seeds already stockpiled (vs requirement of ~22.9 MT).
- Expected good rainfall in several parts of India → improves soil moisture.
- Government push for balanced fertiliser supply (coordination with Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilisers).
- Launch of Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan from Oct 3 → massive outreach to farmers for awareness, technology adoption.
- Challenges/Risks:
- Climate variability: untimely rains, heat waves during March (grain filling stage).
- Rising input costs (fertilisers, diesel).
- Regional disparities in productivity (Punjab/Haryana high, eastern India lagging).
- Storage and MSP procurement bottlenecks in bumper production years.
Broader Agricultural Strategy Reflected
- Shift Beyond Wheat & Rice:
- Push for pulses and oilseeds (reduce import dependence: ~60% edible oil imported, ~20% pulses imported).
- Special focus on millets (Shri Anna) → nutrition security + climate resilience.
- Per-Hectare Productivity:
- Chouhan highlighted need for yield enhancement, not just acreage expansion.
- Crop-wise reviews, large-scale farmer meetings, and technology dissemination planned.
- Food Security + Export Angle:
- High output sustains NFSA and buffer stocks.
- Surpluses may open export opportunities, though govt often restricts wheat exports for domestic price stability.
Economic & Policy Implications
- For Farmers:
- Assured procurement of wheat at MSP (₹2275/quintal in 2025–26).
- Possible rise in incomes if productivity improves without proportional input cost rise.
- For Economy:
- Higher wheat output → helps curb food inflation.
- Reduces import dependence (especially in pulses & oils if strategy succeeds).
- For Government:
- Balancing act between procurement, storage, and subsidy costs.
- Must ensure timely fertiliser/seed availability and irrigation support.
Overview
- Polity/Governance: Strengthens govt’s food security narrative; supports welfare schemes.
- Economy: Contributes to agricultural GDP, inflation management, rural employment.
- Environment: Risk of over-dependence on wheat-paddy cycle (soil degradation, groundwater depletion). Need crop diversification.
- Technology: Precision farming, new HYVs, climate-resilient varieties critical for sustaining growth.
- International Relations: India could influence global wheat markets if production exceeds domestic demand.
Way Forward
- Focus on climate-smart agriculture (heat/drought-resistant wheat varieties).
- Incentivise crop diversification into pulses/oilseeds to reduce import bills.
- Invest in post-harvest infrastructure (storage, cold chains, logistics).
- Encourage farm mechanisation and digital extension services.
- Link wheat strategy to broader goals of Doubling Farmers’ Income & Viksit Bharat 2047.
