India Faces Unusually Hot March, Wheat & Rapeseed Crops at Risk

• India anticipates one of its warmest Marches on record, with above-average temperatures in key agricultural states.
• High temperatures during critical grain-filling and maturity stages could reduce yields for wheat and rapeseed.
• States like Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and parts of Madhya Pradesh, which contribute over 80% of India's wheat and rapeseed, expect temperatures up to 7 degrees Celsius above normal.
• The situation echoes 2022, when a warm February and March led to shrivelled wheat crops and subsequent export bans.
• Rising temperatures are also projected to increase electricity demand, with some states potentially exceeding 40 degrees Celsius by late March.