Browse Data and Analysis

Post forecasts marketing year (MY) 2022/2023 rice harvested area at 11.5 million hectares and production at 35.65 million metric tons (MT), down slightly from the USDA official numbers due to crop damage resulting from heavy floods in the northern part of the country. Local prices of rice, wheat, and corn hit record highs in July 2022.

The weak southwest monsoon in first half of June 2022 slowed ongoing plantings of the kharif (fall harvested) season crops. Plantings will recover under adequate soil moisture conditions with the revival of monsoon starting the third week of June, along with expected normal precipitation in July. On July 6, India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry notified authorizing the export of wheat flour and other products (Harmonized Tariff System - HS code 1101) only on the recommendation of Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Export of Wheat.

Based on the government’s international procurement intentions, the 2022/23 wheat import forecast is increased from 2.0 to 2.5 million tons (MMT). Due to water shortages in key producing areas during the early planting season, the rice production forecast for 2022/23 (November-October) is reduced from 9.0 to 8.6 MMT.