Record food production targets to go bust

Addressing Economic editors’ conference here on We­dnesday, Agriculture and Food Processing Industries Minister Sharad Pawar said strategies for rejuvenating the agriculture sector have been working well and the targeted four per cent growth would be achieved.

In 2010-11, foodgrain production touched a record 241.6 mt. The minister added: “Monsoon 2011 has been very encouraging and our production outlook too. According to initial estimates, kharif 2011 rice production will touch an all time high of 87.10 mt. We are also expecting record production in cotton and oilseeds this year. We hope to see a substantial expansion in crop area and record production in coming rabi season too. We are confident that we will be able to surpass our production record of last year.”

The minister said in 2010-11, the country achieved highest ever production of wheat, pulses, oilseeds and cotton.  “Overall farm output has also achieved an impressive growth rate of 7.5 per cent during the last quarter of 2010-11, thus helping agriculture GDP to register a growth of 6.6 per cent during the year.

The average growth rate of 3.2 per cent in the current plan was achieved under some of the worst climatic conditions like drought, unseasonal rains, flood, frost etc.