Total foodgrains for 2016-17 is projected to be record 275.68 million tonnes, according to the fourth advance estimates of production of major crops released on Wednesday.

The new estimates are 5.58 mt more than the target of 270.10 mt set for the year.

Total rice harvest is expected to top 110 mt, which is 1.65 mt more than the 108.50-mt target. Wheat production too is expected to be record 98.38 mt against the target of 96.50 mt.

However, the shortfall in oilseeds is more than that was projected in the third advanced estimates. As against 32.58 mt estimated in the previous estimates, oilseeds production would come down further to 32.1 mt, the official data indicated. Oilseeds target for 2016-17 was 35 mt.

Production of pulses is projected to be 22.95 mt in 2016-17, which is 40 per cent more than 16.35 mt in the previous year, according to the estimates.

Sugarcane production at 306.7 million tonnes, on the other hand, is expected to be 13.6 per cent less than the target of 355 million tonnes.

Even though cotton production too is not expected to meet the expected target of 36 million bales (of 170 kg), it is projected to be 3 million bales more than the previous year's 30 million bales. Coarse cereals at 44.19 mt are too projected to be marginally lower than the target.

Maize production, however, is estimated to be 26.26 mt, which is much higher than 22.57 mt in 2015-16, the latest officials projections indicated.

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