New Delhi, July 16: Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today expressed confidence that India’s foodgrain production would be better than last year despite scanty rain in Uttar Pradesh and flooding in parts of Punjab and Haryana.
“It is true that in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and in some parts of Bihar, there has been insufficient rain. It is also true that because of heavy rain in Punjab and Haryana, there are some damages. However, we will have more production than last year,” Pawar said here.
India had produced 234.47 million tonnes of foodgrains in 2008-09 and last week, the Agriculture Minister, enthused by better prospect of rain, had said that the country would have “bumper produce” this year.
–Agencies