India's wheat, rapeseed ravaged by rain just before harvesting

Untimely rainfall and hailstorms in India damage wheat, rapeseed, and chickpeas, impacting production and potentially leading to imports.

Untimely rainfall and hailstorms have battered winter-sown crops, including wheat, rapeseed, and chickpeas, delaying harvesting, industry and government officials told Reuters.

Adverse weather could limit growth in wheat production and complicate the government's efforts to build stocks.

This year's wheat harvest is critical for India, the world's biggest producer of the grain after China. Hot and unseasonably warm weather cut India's wheat output in 2022 and 2023, leading to a sharp drawdown in state reserves.

Also read: Govt. sets conservative target for wheat procurement at 30-32 million tonnes in 2024-25 season

A third straight poor harvest will leave no choice for India but to import some wheat. The Government has so far resisted calls for wheat imports, a seemingly unpopular step ahead of a general election early this year.

"The entire wheat crop has been flattened due to heavy rainfall and hailstorm. It was nearly mature, and we could have harvested it in two to three weeks," said Mukesh Kumar, a farmer from Uttar Pradesh.

The hailstorm will not only lead to production losses but will also increase harvesting expenses, as the crop cannot be harvested with a combine and instead need labourers, Kumar said.