Record 141.59 MT kharif foodgrain production

New Delhi (IANS): Total foodgrain production in this kharif season will be a record 141.59 million tonnes, which is 0.86 million tonnes more than last year, Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said on Wednesday.

The Agriculture Ministry issued the first advance estimates of major kharif crops for 2018-19, which shows year-on-year rise of 1.74 million tonnes in rice production to 99.24 million tonnes and of 1.23 million tonnes in maize to 21.47 million tonnes.

The output of coarse cereals is expected to slip from 33.89 million tonnes last year to 33.13 million tonnes, the Ministry said in a statement. 

With slight reduction, pulses production is estimated to be 9.22 million tonnes this kharif, including 4.08 million tonnes of tur (pigeon pea), 2.65 million tonnes of urad (split black gram) and 1.58 million tonnes of moong (green gram). 

"I am happy to share the all time highest record foodgrain production (first advance estimates)," Singh tweeted. 

The latest output is an increase of 11.94 million tonnes, up from 129.65 million tonnes average production in the 2012-17 period, Singh added.

The sugarcane output in this kharif would be 383.89 million tonnes, 6.99 million tonnes more from the past. 

With year-on-year basis hike of 1.19 million tonnes, oilseed production in this kharif season is pegged at 22.19 million tonnes, which include 13.46 million tonnes of soybean, 6.33 million tonnes of groundnut, 1.52 million tonnes of castor seed, 0.82 million tonnes of niger seed and 0.94 million tonnes of sunflower seeds.

The Ministry said the estimated production of cotton is 32.48 million bales (of 170 kg each) and the output of jute is expected to be 10.17 million bales (180 kg each). 

It said the cumulative rainfall in the country in this monsoon - from June 1 to September 12 -was 8 per cent lower than the Long Period Average (LPA).