India wheat, rice production to rise to record high, government says

By Reuters

India is likely to produce a record 117.5 million metric tons of wheat in the year ending June 2025, the farm ministry said, above its March forecast of 115.4 million tons, as higher prices prompted farmers to expand the area planted with high-yielding seed varieties.

India, the world’s biggest wheat producer after China, produced 113.3 million tons of wheat in 2024, the farm ministry said in a statement issued late on Wednesday.

However, a leading industry body said the crop was nearly 6.25% lower than the government’s estimate.

The country’s rice production in 2025 is also set to climb to a record high, with the ministry estimating it at 149 million metric tons, up from last year’s 137.8 million tons.

Record production of wheat and rice will lift the country’s total food grains production to 354 million tons from last year’s 332.3 million tons.

A strong wheat harvest in India is rapidly replenishing stocks, meaning the country will be able to meet domestic demand without imports this year, contrary to market talk that it would need overseas supplies, and a potential drag on global prices.

India is the world’s biggest exporter of rice and higher production will help New Delhi to increase shipments.

Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav; Editing by Janane Venkatraman

This article has been republished from The Reuters.