Wheat yield brings cheer to Haryana farmers; rising input costs remain a concern

A good wheat yield this season has brought smiles to farmers’ faces across the region, with many reporting production in the range of 24-29 quintals per acre, significantly higher than the last year’s average of 18-22 quintals per acre.

Despite facing adverse weather conditions at the beginning of the harvest, the overall output had been impressive, said farmers.

The preliminary data from the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department’s crop-cutting experiments support this observation, revealing an average yield of approximately 24 quintals per acre — one quintal higher than the previous season’s average of 23 quintals per acre.

Anil, a farmer from Dhakwala Roran, brought wheat harvested from two and a half acres to the grain market and reported a yield of about 25 quintals an acre. “Last year, the yield was only 21 quintals per acre,” he said.

However, Anil raised concerns about the increasing input costs. “The Minimum Support Price (MSP) is Rs 2,425 per quintal. But if a farmer takes land on lease, which costs Rs 60,000 to Rs 70,000 per acre annually and the input cost being Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000, it's tough to earn a decent profit,” he added, urging the government to revise the MSP in line with the rising input costs.

Rajinder, another farmer, echoed similar sentiments. Having harvested wheat from three acres, he also achieved a yield of 25 quintals per acre. “Yes, the yield is good this year, but farming is becoming more expensive. The MSP must be increased to reflect the actual ground realities,” he said.

Jitender Staudi, another farmer, said he cultivated wheat on 33 acres and got an average yield of 27 quintals per acre. Since the input cost is increasing, the government should consider hiking the MSP. Similarly, Rajinder Singh, another farmer, too cultivated wheat on 24 acres and the average yield was 29 quintals per acre.

Experts at the Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research (IIWBR), Karnal, are optimistic that India will exceed its wheat production target this year. “Last year, the country produced 113.29 million tonnes of wheat. This year, the target is 115.4 million tonnes, and current trends indicate that we are on track to surpass it,” said Dr Ratan Tiwari, Director of IIWBR.

Dr. Tiwari said weather conditions had largely been favourable for wheat cultivation this season. “While there were minor fluctuations in maximum temperatures during February and March, these did not significantly affect the crop, thanks to the adoption of climate-resilient wheat varieties,” he added.