Unseasonal rainfall and hailstorms in March and April have caused damage to wheat crops across 111 districts in nine Indian states, potentially leading to a 5-10 percent decline in overall production, according to a recent report by Agriwatch. The report, prepared for the Roller Flour Millers Federation of India, also indicated that up to 30 percent of the harvest in affected areas may experience quality degradation, including shrivelled grains and loss of grain lustre.

The government had projected a record wheat production of 120.21 million tonnes for the current season. However, Agriwatch's findings suggest that damage from adverse weather has varied widely, with losses ranging from as little as 3 percent to as high as 25 percent depending on the district.

The most severe damage has been reported in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal. In Punjab’s Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, and Rupnagar districts, as well as Haryana’s Rewari, Uttar Pradesh’s Hamirpur, Bihar’s Begusarai, and West Bengal’s Dakshin Dinajpur, crop losses are estimated between 15 and 25 percent. Several other districts in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar are seeing 10-15 percent reductions in output. Additionally, up to 51 districts in eight states may have suffered 3-5 percent crop losses, primarily due to the combination of untimely rain and hailstorms.

Bikaner district in Rajasthan experienced significant hailstorm damage on April 2, with agricultural losses estimated at 3-5 percent. Rajasthan and Haryana state governments have sought relaxation of the Fair Average Quality (FAQ) norms for wheat procurement, citing the quality deterioration caused by the weather events.

The government has set a target to procure 303.36 lakh tonnes of wheat for the Central Pool by June 30. Central government teams have been dispatched to assess crop conditions in Rajasthan and Haryana to determine whether adjustments to quality standards are warranted.

Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra stated that while the overall outlook for the wheat crop remains positive, the government is considering requests from affected states for leniency in procurement quality criteria. He emphasized that the aim is to ensure farmers are not unduly burdened when selling their produce.

Preliminary assessments submitted by Agriwatch last month highlighted lodging and hailstorm damage in many regions, particularly affecting maturing crops and reducing grain quality. The unfolding situation underscores the vulnerability of wheat production to unseasonal weather fluctuations during critical growth stages.