India hits record wheat and mustard output in 2023–24, amid rice decline due to El Nino

India’s agricultural sector has achieved a significant milestone with the government’s latest estimates revealing a record output of wheat and mustard crops for the 2023-24 season, offset by a decline in rice production attributed to the El Nino phenomenon. This development signals a mixed bag of outcomes for India’s food security and agricultural economy. The Indian government’s second advance estimate projects wheat production to reach an unprecedented 112.01 million tonnes, surpassing the previous year’s record. Similarly, mustard crop output is set to achieve a new high, reflecting the resilience and adaptive strategies of Indian farmers in the face of climate variability. However, the estimates also indicate a notable drop in rice production, a staple food crop, primarily due to the adverse effects of El Nino on both kharif and rabi cropping seasons. In response to the record wheat output, the government has set a conservative procurement target for the 2024-25 rabi marketing ...