Wheat production likely to decline by up to five per cent, says Agriculture Minister

India's wheat production is likely to decline by 4-5 per cent in the current crop year from the initial estimates of 95.76 million tonnes due to unseasonal rains, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said on Tuesday.

"According to initial reports received from various states after unseasonal rains... the estimates show wheat production could drop by 4-5 per cent this year," Singh said while addressing a conference on kharif crops in the national capital.

The Agriculture Ministry, in its second advanced estimate, has projected wheat production to drop slightly to 95.76 million tonnes in 2014-15 crop year (July-June) from 95.85 million tonnes in the previous year.

"Unseasonal rains and hailstorms have damaged rabi (winter-sown) crops in about 113 lakh hectares of crop area in the country. Total cultivable area in rabi season stands at 600 lakh hectares", the Minister said.

Singh added that states have adequate funds under State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to provide financial assistance to farmers affected by the unseasonal rains.

The government has also set up an informal group of ministers, headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, to look into the issue of raising cap of financial assistance given to farmers whose crops have been affected due to unseasonal rains and other natural calamities.

Singh further said that the Centre is ready to give additional funds to states once they utilise those available with them under SDRF.

"A central team has already visited seven states to assess the crop loss. And this government is sensitive towards farmers situation," Singh said.

The government provides support to states under State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) for losses to crops due to natural calamities.