Centre eyes record 275.68 million tonnes food grain production in 2016-17

The Agriculture Ministry on Wednesday hiked its food grain production estimates by 2.3 million tonnes for 2016-17 on the back of a good monsoon last year.
 
According to the fourth Advance Estimates released by the Ministry, the total food grain production for the 2016-17 crop year is pegged at 275.68 million tonnes with rice alone accounting for a record 110.15 million tonnes.
 
The Agriculture Ministry issue four advance estimates every year at various stages of the crop cycle before coming out with the actual food grain production.
 
Based on the feedback of states, the ministry has revised the overall food grain output to 275.68 million tonnes from its earlier projection of 273.38 million tonnes in the third estimate.
 
The previous all time high production of food grain – 265.04 million tonnes – was achieved in 2013-14 crop year. The next two years were drought years with food grain production hovering around 250 million tonnes mark.
 
According to the data released on Wednesday, the 2.3 million increase was on account of the bumper production of rice, wheat, coarse cereals and pulses.

As per the data, rice output is estimated to be a record 110.15 million tonnes in 2016-17 as against 104.41 million tonnes in the previous year. The previous record was 106.65 million tonnes in 2013-14.
 
Wheat production is projected at 98.38 million tonnes in 2016-17 as against 92.29 million tonnes last year. The previous high was 95.85 million tonnes in 2013-14.
 
Coarse cereals output is pegged at a record 44.19 million tonnes in 2016-17 against 38.52 million tonnes in 2015-16, while the previous record of 43.39 million tonnes was in 2013 -14.
 
Pulses production is also projected to be a record 22.95 million tonnes in 2016-17 as against 16.35 million tonnes last year, but the previous high stood at 19.25 million tonnes in 2013-14.
 
However, sugarcane production is estimated to be lower by 11.98% at 306.72 million tonnes in 2016-17 as against 348.45 million tonnes last year.