Glacier FarmMedia—India is well on its way to a massive wheat harvest in 2024/25, according to the United States Department of Agriculture attaché in New Delhi. The attaché was in lockstep with the USDA in predicting a record 114 million tonnes.
The attaché’s report pointed to above normal monsoon rains this year helping the Indian wheat crop. The Indian Meteorological Department projected the monsoon rains to be 106 per cent over the long period average as the El Niño gives way to a La Niña.
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In turn, those rains are to produce higher yields in the major Indian wheat-producing states of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. Across the country, the attaché placed yields at 3.56 tonnes per hectare, up slightly from the 3.52 in 2023/24.
The report also noted the Indian government predicted total grain output for 2024/25 at 340.40 million tonnes, of which 115 million is to be wheat along with 136.30 million of rice, 38.85 million of corn, 29.90 million of pulses, and 2.25 million of barley.
At 114 million tonnes, India’s wheat crop is to be 3.1 per cent more than the 2023/24 harvest. With beginning stocks of 7.50 million tonnes plus a very small amount of imports, total supply is to rise to 121.80 million tonnes, up from the 120.17 million the previous year.
Total consumption was pegged at 113 million tonnes, compared to 112.34 million a year ago. That means ending stocks for 2024/25 are to come to 8.50 million.
