Kharif farm output pegged at 141.59 million tonnes

India is estimated to produce 141.59 million tonnes of food grains during the Kharif season of 2018-19, a marginal increase from 140.73 million tonnes farm output achieved in 2017-18.

The agriculture ministry issued the first advance estimates of major Kharif crops for 2018-19 on Wednesday, which shows a year-on-year rise of 1.74 million tonnes in rice production to 99.24 million tonnes and of 1.23 million tonnes in maize to 21.47 million tonnes.

According to the ministry, production of coarse cereals is expected to dip slightly from 33.89 million tonnes last year to 33.13 million tonnes.

Pulses production is also likely to drop to 9.22 million tonnes from 9.34 million tonnes last year. The pulses production basket includes 4.08 million tonnes of tur (pigeon pea), 2.65 million tonnes of urad (split black gram) and 1.58 million tonnes of moong (green gram).

Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said first estimates announced on Wednesday were 11.94 million tonnes higher than the 129.65 million tonnes average production achieved in the 2012-17 period.

The sugarcane output in this Kharif is pegged at 383.89 million tonnes, 6.99 million tonnes more from the past.

With year-on-year basis hike of 1.19 million tonnes, oilseed production in this Kharif season is pegged at 22.19 million tonnes, which include 13.46 million tonnes of soybean, 6.33 million tonnes of groundnut, 1.52 million tonnes of castor seed, 0.82 million tonnes of niger seed and 0.94 million tonnes of sunflower seeds.

The ministry said the estimated production of cotton is 32.48 million bales (of 170 kg each) and the output of jute is expected to be 10.17 million bales (180 kg each).