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Despite the cheery news of a normal monsoon this year, all forecasts have a similar warning: It is going to be a harsh summer. Between April and June, there will be more than 10-20 extreme heatwave days, double of last year, says the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The mercury is expected to touch a new high, both at maximum as well as minimum temperature, and scientists are of the view it will breach the limits of human survivability. Apart from the human body, human food will bear direct repercussions. From staples such as wheat, to coffee, dairy, and even the great Hilsa face the threat of reduced supply due to the extreme heat. India is the world’s second biggest wheat producer as well as consumer.  Recent research by Uncharted Waters, a not-for-profit organisation that has compiled 30 years of data, says a cold winter followed by a hot spring can depress wheat yields by roughly 20 per cent in important producing states. This is a far greater reduction than in consistently hotter or colder years.  The paper concludes this might translate into a 5 to 10 per cent reduction in overall wheat production. Grown during the winter months, wheat is harvested by the end of spring, before high temperatures can affect grain filling and suppress yields. If it is planted late, or grows slower because of below average temperatures, and summer heat arrives early, serious harm can be done to the crop.