Even as exporters hope for 5-10 per cent rise in production under basmati rice this year, experts discount such a possibility as the premium variety is a long duration crop and hence farmers are unlikely to put more area under it. There is limited scope for expansion of basmati rice area," Agriculture Commissioner N B Singh said, when asked about the diversion of area from non-basmati to basmati. Basmati and other premium varieties like Pusa 1121 are grown in Punjab, Haryana and parts of Uttar Pradesh, where wheat is also a major crop. Singh said farmers in these areas would not like to delay the wheat sowing because of basmati rice. Wheat crop will get delayed by two weeks if it is to be sown on the same field where basmati grows. Basmati rice is grown in kharif season (June-September) and wheat is grown in rabi (October-December). Production of rice, including basmati and non-basmati, is expected to increase by 5-10 per cent on account of higher acreage, All India Rice Exporters' Association President Vijay Setia had said. Commenting on the rice-wheat preference, a rice miller in Punjab said, "Though market price of basmati rice is high, there is also an assured price (MSP) for wheat. Farmers may not be much interested where (in rice) there is no guarantee that they will get a good price." The government last year raised the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat to Rs 1,000 a quintal, while it is yet to declare the final MSP for paddy this season.