The story of wheat is even more mesmerising than that of rice. It is one of the oldest crops introduced in India- at least four thousand years ago from the Middle East, i.e. mainly East Mediterranean and West Asia. It does well on the loamy soils of Northern plains covering Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, in that order. It also grows well in the black soils of Madhya Pradesh. The small areas expand towards the rest of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra. It is, however, fundamentally a crop of north India.

It requires a cool and wet climate during the growing season and a dry warm climate at the time of ripening. A yearly rainfall of 50 to 75 cm is usually prefect. All these essentials make it a superlative rabi crop. A few spell of winter showers or guaranteed irrigation, ensures an abundant harvest. Unlike the rice crop, it is not so much at the mercy of forces of nature.

In the year 1950-51, area-covering wheat was 9.7 million hectares, with a total production of 6.4 million tonnes. However by 1997-98 the area under wheat had climbed to 26.7 million hectares, touching even a more remarkable production figure of 65.9 million tonnes. As a result, during the same period the yield per hectare escalated from 660 kg to 2470 kg-i.e. more than three and a half times.

Among the states, Uttar Pradesh led the country in wheat production with 18.6 million tonnes in 1997-98. It was toed by Punjab (12.7 million tonnes), Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, in that order.

The breakthrough that has been accomplished in increasing agricultural productivity is popularly termed as the Green Revolution. The recognition goes to scientists in Indian Council of Agricultural Research, who have developed various high yielding varieties through enthusiastic experimentation. Assistance received from Mr. Baurlog, a important agronomist from America, is worth mentioning.