The Hindu Business Line : Foodgrains output put at 210.44 m tonnes

NOT ROSY: A farmer inspecting his wheat crop damaged by the recent hailstorm and heavy rain at a village in Haryana. The damage is reported to be significant in Haryana, Punjab and western Uttar Pradesh. It could affect wheat production in the country to the extent of about two million tonnes. -- Ramesh Sharma

New Delhi , March 23

TOTAL foodgrains production for 2004-05 crop year (July-June) is estimated at 210.44 million tonnes (mt), about 4.05 mt higher than the second advanced estimates of 206.39 mt.

Kharif crop production of foodgrains during the period is now estimated at 104.08 mt, whereas rabi production is projected at a record 106.36 mt, as per the third advanced estimates.

While the kharif estimates are marginally higher (1.14 mt) than the second advanced estimates of 102.94 mt, rabi production is estimated to be 2.91 mt higher than the second advanced estimates of 103.45 mt.

The rabi production exceeds the kharif production this year for the first time since 1950-51.

"This shows the resilience of the sector. Moreover, we expect record production in rapeseed/mustard, pulses, cotton, which shows that farmers are now diversifying," said Ms Radha Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture. The production of rapeseed/mustard, pulses and cotton are expected to record an all-time high of 7.64 mt, 15.01 mt and 16.07 million bales of 170 kg respectively, said Ms Singh.

Wheat production during the period is expected to be 74.05 mt compared with 72.11 mt in 2003-04, after factoring in the damage caused by the recent rains and hailstorm.

"We were expecting a bumper wheat crop of about 76 mt this year, but we have revised our estimates downwards by about 2 mt due to rains," said Ms Singh.

Rice production is estimated at 87.12 mt compared with the second advanced estimates of 87.80 mt and 88.28 mt last year.

Production of coarse cereals is estimated at 34.26 mt compared with 38.12 mt last year. In commercial crops, total oilseed production is estimated at 25.15 mt, close to the all-time record of 25.29 mt in 2003-04. The kharif oilseed estimates stood at 14.69 mt for 2004-05 compared with 14.76 mt as per second advanced estimates.

Rabi oilseed estimate has been pegged at 10.46 mt during the year against the second advanced estimate of 10.08 mt.

As for sugarcane, the production is estimated at 234.67 mt, marginally higher than the second advanced estimate of 234.15 mt. However, it is lower than last year's production of 237.31 mt.

Asked about the record production in cotton, Ms Singh said the contribution of Bt cotton couldn't be ruled out despite the fact that it was sown in a small area. But other factors like integrated pest management had significantly contributed to the phenomenon.

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