New Delhi, April 22
Giving a rosy picture of things to come that should quell doubts about food security of the country, the agriculture ministry today said the country would have a record all-time production in wheat, rice, oilseeds, pulses, cotton, soya bean and even coarse cereals during 2007-08.
The Third Advance Estimates of production of major crops grown in the country, released by the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, suggested that food grain production in the current fiscal had touched a record 227.32 MT.
Hinting that this could control the price-rise, ministry officials said the assessment was based on feedback from states and validated with information from other sources. They also expressed confidence about good foodgrain production during 2008-09, saying that "near normal" long-range forecast for the 2008 southwest monsoon by the IMD indicated that rainfall for the country as a whole would be good.
The ministry estimates that a total of 227.32 million tonnnes of foodgrain will be produced. Out of this 95.68 million tonnes of rice and 76.78 million tonnes of wheat will be produced while the production of coarse cereals (jowar, bajra and maize) will be 39.67 million tonnes.
In case of wheat the production will be just one million tonne over last year which means the situation will be fluid till procurement is complete, though ministry officials have assured that acerage under wheat has not decreased.
As compared to 2006-07, rice production is estimated to increase by about two million tonnes, wheat by about one
million tonne, coarse cereals by about six million tonnes (mainly contributed by maize) and pulses by about one million tonne during the current fiscal. The oilseeds production is estimated to increase by about four million tonnes (mainly contributed by groundnut) and cotton by about six lakh bales during 2007-08 over 2006-07.
In all, total foodgrain production is estimated at 227.32 million tonnes, comprising 95.68 million tonnes of rice, 76.78 million tonnes of wheat, 39.67 million tonnes of coarse cereals and 15.19 million tonnes of pulses. Oilseeds production during 2007-08 is estimated at 28.21 million tonnes with groundnut estimated at 8.87 million tonnes, soyabean at 9.43 million tonnes and rapeseed and mustard at 6.43 million tonnes. Production of cotton is estimated at 23.19 million bales of 170 kg each. Production of sugarcane is estimated at 344.23 million tonnes during 2007-08.
Agriculture secretary P.K. Mishra says all production figures are an all-time record, attributing good production figures to favourable weather conditions and
initiatives taken by the government.
