Kharif output pegged at 150.5 million tonnes for 2021-22, oilseeds production to dip

The output is pegged to be marginally higher than 149.56 million tonnes of the previous crop year

Despite indifferent rains, the Centre has pegged foodgrain output from summer (kharif) crops at 150.5 million tonnes, on the back of better production of paddy.

The First Advance Estimates for major kharif crops for 2021-22, released by the Agriculture Ministry, peg the foodgrain output marginally higher than 149.56 million tonnes of the previous crop year.

The production of rice is projected to be 107.04 million tonnes, as against 104.41 million tonnes achieved for the previous year, while the output of coarse cereals and oilseeds is estimated to be marginally lower during the kharif season this year.

As per data, pulses production is likely to increase to 9.45 million tonnes in 2021-22 Kharif season from 8.69 million tonnes achieved in the previous year.

Production of tur, the main Kharif crop, is estimated to increase marginally to 4.43 million tonnes from 4.28 million tonnes. Urad output is pegged at 2.05 million tonnes as against 1.60 million tonnes achieved in the Kharif season last year.

Read | Kharif foodgrain output likely to touch record 150 million tonnes this year: Agri Secy

Production of coarse cereals is estimated to decline to 34 million tonnes in 2021-22 from 36.46 million tonnes in the previous crop year.

Among coarse cereals, maize output is estimated to slide to 21.24 million tonnes in the 2021-22 Kharif season from 21.44 million tonnes in the previous year.

Similarly, the production of oilseeds is projected to be lower at 23.39 million tonnes from 24.03 million tonnes.

Among oilseeds, production of groundnut is pegged marginally lower at 8.25 million tonnes as against 8.55 million tonnes, while that of soyabean at 12.72 million tonnes as against 12.89 million tonnes.

India has received 3 per cent deficient rains this monsoon season so far. In August, rains had played truant in several parts of the country owing to a long break in the monsoon winds.

In case of cash crops, sugarcane production is pegged at a record 419.25 million tonnes during the 2021-22 Kharif season compared with 399.25 million tonnes in the previous year.

Cotton production is also likely to be a record at 36.22 million bales (of 170 kg each) as compared with 35.38 million bales in the previous year.

Jute and mesta production is pegged slightly higher at 9.61 million bales (of 180 kg each) during this year as against 9.55 million bales last year, as per the data.