Government Sets Up Committee To Monitor Impact Of Rise In Temp On Wheat Crop

The government on Monday said it has set up a committee to monitor the impact of rise in temperature on the wheat crop. The move comes amid a forecast by the National Crop Forecast Centre (NCFC) that maximum temperature in major wheat producing areas barring Madhya Pradesh was higher-than-average of the last seven years during the first week of February. Even the Met Department has projected above-normal temperature in Gujarat, Jammu, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, in next two days. Speaking to reporters, Agriculture Secretary Manoj Ahuja said, "We have set up a committee to monitor the situation arising due to increase in temperature on the wheat crop.

" The committee will issue advisories to farmers on adopting micro irrigation, he said. The committee, to be headed by the Agriculture Commissioner, will also have members from Karnal-based Wheat Research Institute and representatives from major wheat growing states, he added. The Secretary, however, said there won't be an impact of rise in temperature on early-sown varieties and even heat resistant varieties have been sown in large areas this time. Wheat production is estimated to hit a record at 112.18 million tonnes in the 2022-23 crop year (July-June). Wheat production had declined marginally to 107.74 million tonnes in the previous year, due to heat wave conditions in some states. Wheat is a major rabi crop, harvesting of which has started in some states.

(PTI)