India and Pakistan, Favorable weather conditions in both the countries are helping them achieve record wheat production this year. Agricultural scientists say, however, that India is better prepared than neighboring countries to deal with the effects of climate change. He informed that India has developed many indigenous heat resistant and short duration varieties of seeds. India is the second largest wheat producing country in the world and Pakistan is the eighth largest wheat producing country. While India is self-sufficient in wheat production, Pakistan imports 20-30 lakh tonnes of wheat.
Pakistan still dependent on imports
Pakistan is still dependent on imports to meet domestic requirements. A major reason for this is its inability to develop climate-friendly indigenous varieties. At present, harvesting of wheat crop is going on in both the countries. India estimates that wheat production will reach a new record of 114 million tonnes in the crop year 2023-24 (July-June). On the other hand, Pakistan has set an ambitious target of producing 32.2 million tonnes. While both countries have been facing the adverse effects of climate change on wheat crops since 2010, the current year has been exceptionally favorable.
heavy yield expected
During this period neither hot wind was seen nor there was unseasonal rain affecting the crop. Gyanendra Singh, director of ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research (ICAR-IIWBR), said, “The weather is favorable this year. During the critical period of mid-January and February, there were no incidents of heat wave and unseasonal rain. “We are expecting huge yields.” He highlighted that climate-friendly wheat varieties have been sown in more than 80 per cent of the total wheat area this year due to the availability of new seeds and greater awareness among farmers.
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