Wheat is the most important food grain in the world and ranks second in total production as a cereal crop behind maize; the third being rice.

The first cereal known to have been domesticated, wheat originated in southwest Asia in the area known as the Fertile Crescent. The earliest archaeological evidence for wheat cultivation comes from the Levant and Turkey. Cultivation and repeated harvesting and sowing of the grains of wild grasses led to the selection of mutant forms with tough ears which remained attached to the ear during the harvest process, and larger grains.

Wheat is widely cultivated as a cash crop because it produces a good yield per unit area, grows well in a temperate climate even with a moderately short growing season, and yields a versatile, high-quality flour that is widely used in baking. Most breads are made with wheat flour, including many breads named for the other grains they contain like most rye and oat breads. Many other popular foods are made from wheat flour as well, resulting in a large demand for the grain even in economies with a significant food surplus.

In Western Europe target wheat yields attainable are around 8 tonnes / hectare. Until recently a tonne of wheat was worth around 90 euros / tonne, giving a total income of 630 euros per hectare for an average yield of 7 tonnes / hectare. European Union subsidies available in 2006 add 400 euros / hectare, giving a total income of 1,030 euros. In some instances the straw yield of around 4 tonnes per hectare may be saleable at between 9 and 30 euros / tonne.

The recent world price rises (2006) for wheat as a commodity could bring in as much as 400 euros per hectare extra for producers.

India has the largest area in the world under wheat. However, in terms of production, we are only the third largest behind EU-25 and China. India produces about 65-75 million tons of wheat a year, which is about 35% of India's total food grain production of 210-212 million tons. Since wheat and rice are grown in separate seasons, they do not compete for area.

The major wheat producing states of India are Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar, Which together account for around 93% of total production. Wheat is sown during November to January and harvested during March to April. The wheat marketing season in India is assumed to begin from April every year.

Indian wheat is largely soft/medium hard, medium protein, bread wheat. India also produces around 1.5 million tons of durum wheat, mostly in central and western India, which is not segregated and marketed separately. Government announces Minimum Support Prices (MSP), which is the minimum price at which procurement has to be carried. The total procurement of wheat by Government agencies ranges from 8 to 20 million tons, accounting for only 15-20% of the total production.