JOIN USFoodgrain output to dip 3% due to weak monsoon
India’s foodgrain production is set to fall by 3 per cent in 2014-15 on the back of deficient monsoon rains.
The food grain production for this financial year has been pegged at 257.07 million tonnes as against the record production of 265.57 million tonnes in 2013-14, the Agriculture Ministry said.
The second advanced estimates of production of major crops released by the ministry on Wednesday peg the total production of rice in the country 103.04 million tonnes, 3.61 million tonnes lower than the last year’s record production of 106.65 million tonnes.
Production of wheat estimated at 95.76 million tonnes is marginally lower than the record production of 95.85 million tonnes of wheat during 2013-14. Total production of coarse cereals estimated at 39.83 million tonnes is lower by 3.46 million tonnes than their production during 2013-14.
The ministry said that despite a 12 per cent deficient monsoon rainfall, the advance estimate of 257.07 million tonnes of food grain production is the fourth highest annual production of grains in the country.
“Due to proactive measures of the Ministry of Agriculture, the loss in production has been restricted to just around 3 per cent over the previous year and has exceeded the average production during the last five years by 8.15 million tonnes,” an official statement said.
Oil seeds
Production of pulses is estimated at 18.43 million tonnes, lower by 1.35 million tonnes than last year’s production, but higher by 0.81 million tonnes than their average production during the last five years.
With decrease of 2.92 million tonnes over the last year’s production level, total production of oilseeds in the country is estimated at 29.83 million tonnes.Production of sugarcane is estimated at 354.95 million tonnes, which is higher by 17.14 million tonnes as compared with its average production during the last five years.
Total production of cotton is estimated at 35.15 million bales (of 170 kgs each), significantly higher (by 2.68 million bales) than the average production of last five years.
Production of jute and mesta is estimated at 11.47 million bales (of 180 kg each) which is lower by 0.22 million bales than their last year’s production and marginally higher (0.18 million bales) over their average production levels.
Food for thought
CROP FORECAST PRODUCTION
FY2015 * FY2014*
* Foodgrain 257.07 mt 265.57 mt
* Rice 103.04 mt 106.65 mt
* Wheat 95.76 mt 95.85 mt
* Coarse cereals 39.83 mt 36.37 mt
Source: Ministry of Agriculture * In million tonnes