The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict may open up new opportunities for India in the global wheat markets. This potential arises because both Russia and Ukraine are some of the world’s largest wheat exporters, contributing to more than a quarter of the global wheat export. This particular shift could potentially aid India to increase its share in the global wheat export market.
Global Wheat Export Landscape
Russia holds the title of being the world’s largest exporter of wheat, accounting for over 18% of the international exports. In 2019, the combined efforts of Russia and Ukraine resulted in exporting 25.4% of the world’s wheat, making them significant players in this field. The top five countries that hold a high dollar-value worth of wheat exports include Russia, the United States, Canada, France, and Ukraine. The world’s biggest consumer of imported wheat is Egypt, while Turkey relies heavily on Russian and Ukrainian wheat, with 74% of its imports sourced from these two countries in 2019.
India’s Wheat Production and Export
India is the world’s second-largest producer of wheat, contributing around 13.5% of the total world production. It annually produces approximately 107.59 MT of wheat, although a large portion is reserved for domestic consumption. Despite this, India’s participation in the world wheat export remains low, less than 1%. Nonetheless, a positive trajectory is visible, with the nation’s share increasing from 0.14% in 2016 to 0.54% in 2020. Currently, India’s central pool holds 24.2 million tonnes of wheat, which is twice as much as the buffer and strategic needs.
Wheat: A Key Crop in India
In India, wheat is the second most important cereal crop after rice, particularly dominant in the north and north-western parts of the country. As a rabi crop, wheat requires a cool growing season and bright sunshine during ripening. The growth of rabi crops, especially wheat, was significantly boosted by the success of the Green Revolution. The Indian government has also implemented initiatives such as the Macro Management Mode of Agriculture, National Food Security Mission, and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana to support wheat cultivation.
Optimum Conditions for Wheat Cultivation in India
Wheat cultivation in India demands specific conditions including temperature between 10-15°C during sowing time and 21-26°C during ripening and harvesting. It also necessitates bright sunlight and rainfall of around 75-100 cm. The soil type suitable for its cultivation is well-drained fertile loamy and clayey loamy, which are primarily found in the Ganga-Satluj plains and the black soil region of the Deccan.
India’s Top Wheat Producing States
The states that lead in wheat production in India include Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, and Gujarat.