After two successive record harvests, kharif foodgrains production is expected to decline by a tenth to 117.18 million tonnes against 129.94 mt last year.
The decline is attributed to the erratic monsoon rains, which impacted the sowing of key crops like rice, oilseeds and pulses.
Production of rice, the main food crop in kharif season, will be down by about 6.5 per cent at 85.59 mt against 91.53 mt in the corresponding last year.
The output of coarse cereals is expected to be down 18 per cent at 26.33 mt against 32.26 mt, according to the Government’s first advance estimates.
“The kharif production will be better-than-expected,” said Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar praising the Indian farmers for their handling of deficit monsoon.
The monsoon, which was erratic and deficit in the early part of the kharif period, picked up in August helping farmers expand the acreage and improve yields.
Production figures
Production of pulses is projected to be 5.26 mt against 6.16 mt last year. Tur production will be marginally higher at 2.78 mt than 2.65 mt last year.
Urad output is expected to be at 1.14 mt against last year’s 1.28 mt. Production of maize will be marginally lower at 14.89 mt against 16.22 mt last year.
Total oilseeds production is pegged at 18.78 mt, aided by a record high soyabean output of 12.62 mt.
Groundnut production is expected to be 3.8 mt against last year’s 5.09 mt. Castor seed output is projected to be lower at 1.4 mt against last year’s 2.3 mt.
Cotton production is expected to be lower at 334 lakh bales of 170 kg each against 352 lakh bales last year. Similarly, sugarcane output is also expected to be marginally lower at 335.32 mt against last year’s 357.66 mt.
Pawar is hopeful that the shortfall in kharif would largely be made up in the rabi season. The late rains have improved the moisture levels in soil and farmers have been advised to go in for early sowing, he said.