India may produce record 263.2 MT foodgrains this year: Pawar

Foodgrain prouction is likely to touch a record 263.2 million tonnes (mt) this year, beating the previous high of 259 mt achieved two years ago, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said today.

"The country is likely to achieve record 263.2 mt foodgrain production this year. This would be about 4 mt higher than the record of 259 million tonnes achieved two years ago," Pawar said at an agricultural exposition here.

The foodgrain production fell marginally to 255.36 mt in the last crop year (July-June) due to drought in some parts of the country.

A good monsoon along with improved sowing of both kharif (summer) and rabi (winter) crops have improved prospects of a better foodgrain production this year.

India has now emerged as the world's top rice exporter and second-top exporter of wheat and cotton. The country is also the top producer of milk and horticultural crops, Pawar said highlighting progress made in the farm sector.

The Central Statistics Office (CSO), in its recently-released advanced estimates for the current fiscal, has projected 4.6 per cent growth in agriculture and allied sectors, up from 1.4 per cent a year earlier.

Impressed with the exhibitions by 92 successful farmers, the minister also called upon others to emulate their success stories for improving their production and prosperity.

The five-day exposition, Krishi Vasant, has been organised by the Centre and Maharashtra along with industry body CII. It also showcases the history of agricultural research accomplished in last the 100 years by ICAR.

Nearly five lakh farmers are expected to visit the event, an official release said.