Agriculture Ministry forecast record foodgrain production
NEW DELHI: India’s foodgrain production is forecast to hit a record in the crop year ending June 2017, with good monsoon rains last year boosting the estimated output of wheat, rice, coarse cereals, and pulses.
The Agriculture Ministry’s third advance estimates of major crops pegged the production at 273.38 million tonnes, 0.51% higher than the second advance estimate. This year’s output betters the record production of 2013-14 by 3.15%.
The first advance estimate was issued in September’2016, followed by the second in February. The final assessment is released in August. As per the second advance estimate for 2016-17, total foodgrain production was pegged at 271.98 million tonnes.
“As a result of very good rainfall during monsoon 2016 and various policy initiatives taken by the government, the country has witnessed record foodgrain production in the current year,” the agriculture ministry said.
The government expects rice production to reach 109.15 million tonnes this crop year, 0.26% higher than the second advance estimate output and breaking the previous record production of 106.65 million tonnes achieved during 2013-14.
Wheat output is pegged at 97.44 million tonnes, an increase of 0.83% from the second advance estimate.
The country had its highest wheat production in 2013-14 at 95.85 million tonnes, while last year, the output was 92.29 million tonnes.
Output of pulses – largely gram, urad and tur – is projected at 22.40 million tonnes , an increase of 1.17% over the second advance estimate as a result of significant increase in the area coverage and productivity of all major pulses, said the Agriculture ministry.
Coarse-cereals production is estimated at 44.39 million tonnes, higher than 44.34 million tonnes during the second advance estimate.
The government predicts cotton production will increase 0.22% over the second advance estimate to 32.58 million bales in the third estimate. Each bale weighs 170 kg.
“Despite lower area coverage during 2016-17, higher productivity of cotton has resulted into higher production of 32.58 million bales (of 170 kg each), i.e. an increase of 8.57%, as compared to 30.01 million bales during 2015-16,” said the government statement.
Meanwhile, the production of sugarcane is estimated at 306.03 million tonnes, 1.27% lower than the second advance estimate. It is lower by 42.42 million tonnes (or 12.17%) than the last year’s production of 348.45 million tonnes.
Further, the production of oilseeds including groundnut, mustard and soyabean saw a decline of 3.2% to 32.52 million tonnes over the seond advance estimate. However, with an increase of 7.27 million tonnes (28.80%) over the previous year, total oilseeds production in the country is estimated at 32.52 million tonnes.
Highlights:
Foodgrain production for 2016-17 as per third advance estimate is 273.38 million tonne.
This is 0.51% higher than the second advance estimate released on 15 February 2017.
The production is 8.67% higher than last year’s output.
The production is 3.15% higher than the previous record production of food grain achieved in 2013-14.
Good monsoons and various policy initiatives of the government led to record production.
Production of rice, wheat, coarse cereals and pulses expected to hit a record
Source: ECONOMIC TIMES