Kharif Foodgrain Production will increase in 2016-17

New Delhi: Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Radha Mohan Singh on Thursday  said that as per 1^st Advance Estimates for 2016-17, total production of Kharif Foodgrains is estimated at 135.03 million tonnes which is a new record. This year production is higher by 11.02 million tonnes as compared to last year’s Kharif foodgrains production of 124.01 million tonnes.  Further, Kharif foodgrains production is also higher by 7.65 million tonnes than the last five years’ (2010-11 to 2014-15) average production of 127.38 million tonnes.

As a result of favourable monsoon rainfall, area and yield of most of the Kharif crops is expected to be higher. Consequently, estimated production of most of the crops during current Kharif season is estimated to be higher as compared to their production as per 4^th Advance Estimates for 2015-16.

Total production of Kharif rice is estimated at 93.88 million tonnes which is a new record. This year rice production is higher by 1.1 million tonnes than previous record production of 92.78 million tonnes achieved during 2011-12. Production of Kharif rice is also higher by 4.16 million tonnes and 2.57 million tonnes over the average production of the last five years and the last year’s Kharif rice production respectively.

Total production of coarse cereals in the country is estimated at 32.45 million tonnes as compared to 27.17 million tonnes during 2015-16 (4th Advance Estimates). Production of Maize is estimated at record level of 19.30 million tonnes. This year production of Kharif maize is higher by 4.05 million tonnes than that the last year’s production.

Total production of Kharif pulses estimated at record level of 8.70 million tonnes which is higher by 3.16 million tonnes than the last year’s production of 5.54 million tonnes. The production of kharif pulses is also higher by 2.54 million tonnes than their last five years’ average production.

Total production of kharif oilseeds in the country is estimated at 23.36 million tonnes which is significantly higher than the production of 16.59 million tonnes during 2015-16. This year production of Kharif oilseed is also higher by 2.33 million tonnes than the average production of last five years.

Production of Sugarcane is estimated at 305.25 million tonnes which is lower by 46.92 million tonnes than the last year’s production of 352.16 million tonnes. Despite lower area coverage, higher productivity of Cotton has resulted in to higher production of 32.12 million bales (of 170 kg each) as compared to 30.15 million bales during 2015-16. Production of Jute & Mesta estimated at 10.41 million bales (of 180 kg each) is marginally lower than their production of 10.47 million bales during the last year.