India, soon to be the most populous country, will also simultaneously be the largest producer of milk in the world by 2026. Along with this, the country will also show grounds for the biggest increase in wheat production across the globe, according to a report by the UN and OECD.

According to the OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2017-2026, the total world population is expected to jump from 7.3 to 8.2 billion over the next decade, of which India and Sub-Saharan Africa will account for 56 per cent of this growth.

K. Antony Xavier

The expected increase in the population of India by 2026 is a 150 million, from the current 1.3 billion to a gigantic 1.5 billion, by which time it will have overtaken China and become the most populous country in the world.

Owing to this steep increase in their population, India and Sub-Saharan Africa will also push its share in meeting global demand manifold.

It further said that over the first quarter of the 21st century, milk production in India will be nearly tripled.

"Over the course of the outlook period alone, milk production in India will grow 49 per cent; in 2026, India will be the world's largest milk producer, with an output one-third above that of the second largest producer, the European Union," said the report by the UN and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Trending Top Most

Global production of wheat is projected to increase by 11 per cent over the outlook period of 2017-2026, while the wheat area increases by only 1.8 per cent.

The increase in wheat production is expected to occur through higher yields, most notably in Asia and Pacific, which will account for 46 per cent of additional wheat production.

Within the region and globally, India (15 Mt) will account for the biggest increase in production and Pakistan (6 Mt) and China (5.5 Mt) are also expected to have significant gains.

The European Union accounts for 13 per cent of the production increase. Rice production is expected to grow by 66 Mt and will be almost exclusively driven by yield growth, which accounts for 93 per cent of additional production.

NuFFooDS Spectrum

The global area dedicated to rice is expected to increase by only a per cent from the base period, while global yields will increase by 12 per cent. Major production gains are projected for India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam with yields in these countries are expected to increase by over 15 per cent.

The report said that global food commodity prices are projected to remain low over the next decade compared to previous peaks, as demand growth in a number of emerging economies is expected to slow down and biofuel policies have a diminished impact on markets.