High Feb temp likely to hamper wheat yields

WITH the temperature rising above normal in February, the fate of wheat crops in Northwest India looks uncertain.

- JITENDRA CHOUBEY @New Delhi

The rising temperature may shrivel wheat pods, impacting the quality and quantity of its production.

Wheat production in India has seen a decline in the last three years. The grain at the pod-filling stage needs a minimum or low temperature to help the grain take a robust shape.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), maximum temperatures in Northwest India are reportedly 2-6 °C above normal in different pockets. The minimum temperatures also rise above normal by 1-3 °C. The staple crop wheat grows over 75 percent in Northwest India.