The Hindu Business Line : Foodgrains output likely to touch record high

New Delhi, April 22 Supported by factors such as favourable weather, foodgrains production in the country will touch a record high of 227.32 million tonnes (mt) this season (July 2007 – June 2008), up 4.6 per cent from the 2006-07, the Union Agriculture Secretary, Mr P.K. Mishra, said on Tuesday.

Drop in temperature

“Wheat production is estimated to be an all time record at 76.78 mt during 2007-08,” he said.

“Favourable weather, good monsoons and temperature drop in the rabi season has helped attain the high production levels,” Mr Mishra said, releasing the third Advance Estimates of production of major crops grown in the country.

Several other crops such as rice (95.68 mt), maize (18.54 mt), pulses (15.19 mt) comprising tur (3.03 mt) and urad (1.56 mt) are also expected to achieve a record high in 2007-08.

“We have arrived at these figures due to availability of more crop cutting data,” Mr Mishra said, asked about the upward revision of the estimates.

Soya, cotton

Soyabean (9.43 mt) and cotton production (23.19 million bales of 170 kg each) is also expected to be touch an all-time high.

Oilseeds production is estimated to increase by about 4 million tonnes (mainly contributed by groundnut) and cotton by about 6 lakh bales during 2007-08 over 2006-07.

“Wheat acreage is almost same as last year, but the yield has gone up,” Mr Mishra said.

“Distribution of good quality seeds under Government schemes like National Food Security Mission also helped,” he said.

On whether the higher production figures would impact the import requirements, Mr Mishra declined to comment saying that these decisions would be taken by inter-departmental consultations.

Sour note

There could be a 13 per cent drop in rapeseed and mustard production (at 6.43 mt), while sugarcane production would be down by 3.2 per cent touching 344.23 mt.

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