The country is poised to witness a record high foodgrains harvest for the second successive year in 2011-12, aided by the above normal monsoon and improved productivity in eastern States of Bihar and Jharkhand.
According to the Government estimates, foodgrains output is likely to touch 250.42 million tonnes as against the previous year's harvest of 244.78 million tonnes. This increase is led by a record high output of rice and wheat. Besides, the cotton output is projected to be at a record high of 34 million bales of 170 kg each as against previous year's 33 million bales.
The rice output is projected to be almost 6 million tonnes more at 102.75 million tonnes over last year's 95.98 million tonnes. The wheat output is seen higher at 88.31 million tonnes over last year's final estimates of 86.87 million tonnes.
“The increase in rice has come from the eastern belt alone and as a result the overall foodgrains output has touched a record 250.42 million tonne,” Mr P.K. Basu, Agriculture Secretary, told reporters after releasing the second advance crop estimates.
“Bihar and Jharkhand, known as laggard States in agriculture production and productivity, have outperformed in yields as their rice output has more than doubled to 6.75 million tonnes and 3.3 million tonnes respectively,” Mr Basu said.
Storage concerns
The record high foodgrains output could fuel storage concerns as the country had a stock of 54.8 million tonnes as of December 1, the highest in the past 10 years. The rice and wheat stocks stood at a little over 27 million tonnes each.
However, the comfortable stocks and the record high projections would help the Government implement the Food Security Bill, which aims to provide foodgrains at a cheaper price to the poor.
Though the wheat and rice production are set for a record high, the output of pulses, oilseeds and coarse cereals are projected to see dip on account of lower area coverage, hit by scanty North-East monsoon rains.
The production of pulses is projected to dip by 5.26 per cent to 17.28 million tonnes (18.24 million tonnes). The drought-like conditions during the rabi season in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra have resulted in lower area coverage under pulses.
Output of tur or red gram is projected to be lower at 2.72 million tonnes (2.86 million tonnes). Similarly, the production of gram – a dominant rabi crop, is set to be lower at 7.66 million tonnes (8.22 million tonnes). The oilseed output is also projected to dip on account of lower area coverage in States such as Rajasthan, where mustard is the key rabi crop. Total oilseed area is lower by 6.5 lakh hectares this year and the output is pegged at 30.53 million tonnes as against 32.48 million tonnes in the previous year.
Oilseeds dip
The decline in oilseed output is led by groundnut, which is set to be lower by 16 per cent at 6.94 million tonnes (8.26 million tonnes).
Similarly, mustard would be lower by 8.27 per cent at 7.5 million tonnes (8.17 million tonnes). Even soyabean output would see a small decline at 12 million tonnes as against 12.7 million tonnes last year.
The sugarcane output would be marginally higher at 347.8 million tonnes (342.3 million tonnes). The industry has projected a sugar output at a high of 26 million tonnes, while the Government estimates it to be between 24.6 and 25 million tonnes.