Foodgrain production to touch new record in 2017-18

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 27

India’s foodgrain production is forecast to grow to a record 277.49 million tonnes in the crop year ending June 2018, as per the second estimate of major crops released by the Agriculture Ministry on Wednesday.

Foodgrain output is expected to increase to 277.49 million tonnes in 2017-18 crop year, exceeding the previous record of 275.11 MT in 2016-17.

While output of rice, pulses, coarse cereals, cotton and sugarcane is expected to be higher this year, wheat and oilseeds production may decline. Rice production is expected to increase to a record 111.01 MT while wheat output may decline to 97.11 MT, lower by 1.40 MT as compared to record wheat production of 98.51 MT achieved during 2016-17.

As per the government, the production of wheat during 2017-18 is still higher by 3.77 MT than the average.

Meanwhile, pulses are projected at 23.95 MT compared with 23.13 MT in the previous year. Production of oilseeds is set to fall to 29.82 MT. Cotton production will increase to 33.92 million bales of 170 kg each while coarse cereal will also register a record 45.42 MT, according to the estimate.

With a significant increase by 47.16 MT over 2016-17, total production of sugarcane in the country during 2017-18 is estimated at 353.23 MT.

Sugarcane production during 2017-18 is also higher by 11.19 MT than the average sugarcane production of 342.04 MT.

“As a result of near-normal rainfall during monsoon 2017 and various policy initiatives taken by the government, country has witnessed record foodgrain production in the current year,” the Agriculture Ministry said.