New Delhi: Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Friday said the country’s wheat production could exceed the estimate of record 88.31 million tonnes in the current crop year ending June.

The minister also said that wheat crop is unlikely to be affected because of yellow rust disease in major producing states like Punjab and Haryana.

“I am not at all worried about wheat production because the situation is good. Whatever the assessment we have made on production, there will be improvement. I don’t expect any problem,” Pawar told reporters on the sidelines of an event.

According to the latest government estimates, wheat production is expected to be a record 88.31 million tonnes in the 2011-12 crop year (July-June), as against 86.87 million tonnes in the previous year.

Asked about threat of yellow rust disease on the crop, Pawar said there is no worry about wheat production getting affected due to yellow rust disease in some states like Punjab and Haryana.

“Yesterday, I have checked in Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. I don’t think that yellow rust is that serious to affect yields,” he said.

India is the second biggest wheat grower in the world. In September 2011, the government allowed exports to offload surplus grain. So far, about five lakh tonne of wheat has been shipped.