JOIN USPulses, including toor and urad, will continue to cost dear with the Agriculture Ministry pegging its production at 17.06 million tonnes, slightly lower that 17.15 million tonnes of last year.
According to the third advance estimates, foodgrain production is expected to remain flat at 252.23 million tonnes in 2015-16 due to the second consecutive drought in many parts of the country.
The Centre is seeking solace in the fact that the foodgrain output would be higher by 0.21 million tonnes compared with the 252.02 million tonnes of last year. “Despite setback due to deficient rainfall and due to shortage of water in reservoirs … total foodgrain production in the country has been higher than that in the last year,” an official statement said.
Besides pulses, the production of rice and coarse cereals were estimated to fall, while wheat output is likely to increase sharply to 94.04 million tonnes (MT) in 2015-16 crop year (July-June) compared to 86.53 MT last year.
Rice output is estimated to decline to 103.36 MT from 105.48 MT, while the production of coarse cereals is likely to drop to 37.78 MT from 42.86 MT in the said period.
In non-foodgrain category, production of oilseeds, sugarcane, cotton and jute are estimated to decline during the current 2015-16 crop year.