Soaring mercury takes toll on quality of wheat in Rajasthan

JAIPUR: Extreme high temperature has affected the quality of wheat production in the state, which in turn has impacted its sale. According to farmers, around 40% wheat production has been impacted due to heat wave and now they are demanding procurement by the government.
Around 3.5 lakh farmers grow wheat in Rajasthan and due to the heat waves, 40% wheat grains has been thinner than standard size. The grain, which was sold in the international market for Rs 2300 per quintal, is now being sold ar Rs 2,000 per quintal due to wheat export ban. Farmers in the state have written to the state and central governments to procure all types of wheat on a bonus amount.
Dashrath Singh, president of Hadoti Kisaan Union, Kota said, “So many families are dependent on this crop. The government doesn’t procure below the standard size of wheat. Hence, we are demanding to remove this clause and procure all types of wheat. We are also demanding to give us Rs 300 bonus so that farmers who faced losses will be saved.” The government, however, is yet to make any decision. An agriculture official said it is unlikely that the government will procure all types of wheat. According to the official, wheat is already being sold above MSP rates in the market.
The decision of the central government to ban wheat export came after a widespread loss of yield due to extreme heat wave in major wheat growing states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
In many parts of the state, crop had shrivelled due to the heat and, in certain cases, it had become unfit for human consumption.
As a result, the official wheat production estimates for 2022-23 have now been scaled down to 105 million tonnes from 113.5 million tonnes.