NEW DELHI: Total foodgrain production in this kharif season is expected to be 134.67 million tonnes, a fall in the production by 2.77 per cent (3.85 million tonnes) compared to last year.
The Agriculture Ministry on Monday released the first advance estimates of production of major kharif crops for 2017-18 which have the estimated foodgrain production to reach 134.67 million tonnes, oilseeds production at 20.68 million tonnes, sugarcane at 337.69 million tonnes, cotton at 32.27 million bales (170 kg each) and jute & Mesta at 10.33 million bales (180 kg each).
The ministry has also said the targeted production in 2017-18, which include both kharif and rabi seasons, was to be 275.68 million tonnes.
Terming the monsoon rainfall conditions “normal”, it said the production of most of the crops during the current kharif season was estimated to be higher as compared to their normal production of last five years. However, almost all crops except sugarcane have shown decline in production when compared to the last year’s production figures.
“Total production of kharif rice is estimated at 94.48 million tonnes. This is lower by 1.91 million tonnes than the last year’s record production of 96.39 million tonnes. However, it is higher by 2.59 million tonnes over the average production of kharif rice during the last five years,” the release said.
The estimated production of coarse cereals has shown a decline from 32 million tonnes last year to 31.49 million tonnes this year.
Similarly, total production of pulses in the current kharif season is estimated to be 8.71 million tonnes this kharif season, which is lower by 0.71 million tonnes than the last year’s “record” production of 9.42 million tonnes.
Oilseed production has also shown slump in production this year as estimation figure are pointing to 20.68 million tonnes this kharif season as against 22.40 million tonnes during the last kharif.
Sugarcane production is expected to be higher this year by 30.97 million tonnes this year.
“Despite higher area coverage, lower productivity of cotton has resulted in reduced estimated production of 32.27 million bales as compared to 33.09 million bales during 2016-17. Production of Jute & Mesta estimated at 10.33 million bales is marginally lower than its production of 10.60 million bales during the last year,” the release said.
IANS