India: Grain and Feed Annual

FAS New Delhi (Post) forecasts India’s market (MY) 2023/2024 (April-March) wheat production at 108 million metric tons (MMT) resulting from 31.9 million hectares. Crop performance is better compared to the MY 2022/2023 harvest of 100 MMT arising from 30.5 million hectares. Favorable weather conditions and sufficient soil moisture from the time of planting through the vegetative/reproductive stages buoyed record planting levels. MY 2023/2024 yields are forecast up at 3.39 MT/hectare compared to last year’s 3.28 MT/hectare. Post forecasts MY 2023/2024 rice production at 127 MMT, from a planted area of 46.5 million hectares, with yields of 4.09 MT/hectare. Despite an erratic 2022 monsoon, Indian farmers realized good returns from rice over other crops. Farmers benefitted from high government MSP procurement for paddy (un-milled) rice and strong export demand. With the return of the El Niño phenomenon, bringing warmer weather in the latter part of 2023, there are concerns that rabi season plantings could suffer.