The Gross Value Output (GVO) of cereals at constant prices increased by 12 per cent over the ten-year period from ₹3.36 lakh crore in 2011-12 to ₹3.77 lakh crore in 2019-20. However, the share of cereals in the overall crop portfolio declined from 28.2 per cent to 27.3 per cent during the period.
As per the report brought out by the National Statistical Office under the Ministry of Statistics and Programming Implementation, the GVO of cereals was the highest among all crop groups.
Cereals and fruits and vegetables together accounted for more than 52 per cent of the GVO of the agri sector in 2011-12. The share of these two categories has further increased to 55 per cent in 2019-20.
Paddy the topper
Among the cereals, paddy continued to top the list of all the cereals during the 2011-12 to 2019-20 period. From around ₹1.70 lakh crore in 2011-12, the GVO of paddy increased to ₹1.91 lakh crore during 2019-20, at constant prices, registering a 12 per cent increase during the period. While the paddy GVO increased, its share in the overall cereals’ GVO, which stood at 50.7 per cent in 2011-12 slipped marginally to 50.6 per cent during 2019-20, with the share of other cereals going up.
The GVO of wheat, the second most widely produced cereal in the country after paddy, increased during the period. From about ₹1.18 lakh crore in 2011-12, the GVO of wheat at constant prices registered an increase of 12.7 per cent to ₹1.33 lakh crore. The share of wheat among the GVO of all cereals increased from 35.1 per cent in 2011-12 to 35.5 per cent during 2019-20.
Besides paddy and wheat, maize was the only other cereal crop that witnessed growth in GVO during the period. Maize GVO increased by 30 per cent from ₹23,500 crore in 2011-12 to ₹30,600 crore during 2019-20. The share of maize in total cereal’s GVO increased from 7 per cent in 2011-12 to 8.1 per cent during 2019-20.
Jowar, Bajra
However, the GVO of other cereals such as jowar and bajra at constant prices in 2011-12 declined with a drop in output. The GVO of jowar declined by 20 per cent to ₹7,800 crore during 2019-20 from ₹ 9,800 crore in 2011-12.
The share of jowar dropped in total crop GVO from 2.9 per cent to 2.1 per cent in 2019-20. Similarly, the share of bajra in total cereal GVO declined from 3 per cent to 2.6 per cent. The bajra GVO slipped from ₹9,900 crore in 2011-12 to ₹9,800 crore during 2019-20.
The share of other cereals including ragi and barley declined from 1.3 per cent to 1.1 per cent during the period. The GVO of other cereals fell from ₹4,400 crore in 2011-12 to ₹4,300 crore in 2019-20.