Foodgrains output to fall by 10% in kharif: Pawar

Deficiency of monsoon stands at 5 percent so far

PTI | September 24, 2012



Country's foodgrains production is projected to decline by 10 per cent in the kharif season of this year at 117.18 million tonnes due to deficient monsoon and drought in some states.

However, the government expects to make up for the decline in output during the Rabi season (winter sown crop).

Foodgrains output stood at 129.94 million tonnes (MT)in last year's Kharif season. The production of rice -- a major Kharif crop -- is expected to fall to 85.59 MT compared with 91.53 MT in the last Kharif (summer crops).

"As per the first advance estimate, total foodgrains production is expected at 117.18 million tonnes in the kharif season of 2012-13 crop year, lower than the last year but higher than the average production of 113 million tonnes in the last five years," Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar told reporters here.

"Whatever shortfall we have seen in kharif season will be covered in rabi," the minister said.

Pulses production is estimated at 5.26 MT in Kharif this year against 6.16 MT during the year ago period, he said, adding the production of coarse cereals is estimated to fall to 26.33 MT from 32.26 MT

Deficiency of monsoon stands at 5 per cent so far.

Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan have declared drought in over 390 taluks.

Asked if fall in foodgrains output will impact prices, Pawar said: "Last year's stock position of wheat and rice is extremely good. There is no problem. I am worried prices of wheat, atta and sugar are going up in the market. I do not understand the reason because we have good crop".

Pawar said he would speak to the Consumer Affairs Minister on this issue. "More quantity of sugar and wheat need to be released in the market to check prices".

Releasing the first advance estimates of kharif season for 2012-13 crop year (July-June), Pawar said oilseeds output is estimated at 18.78 million tonnes from 20.78 million tonnes in Kharif last year.

"Production of soyabean is encouraging and will offset decline in groundnut," he added.

Cotton production is estimated to fall to 33.4 million bales (of 170 kg each) as against 35.2 million bales during last year, while sugarcane production is pegged at 335.3 million tonnes against 357.6 million tonnes last year.

"This year, we have witnessed delay in onset of monsoon.

The first estimates are better than expected. These are preliminary estimates and final estimates will be better than this," Pawar said.

Comments

 

Other News

Gandhian movement after Gandhi failed: Ram Guha

The Gandhian movement in India, after Gandhi’s death, failed, says Ramachandra Guha, and blames Vinoba Bhave for it. But the movement found new, fertile grounds around the world and succeeded in bringing about a change in South Africa, the US and elsewhere. It is high time it returned home. Of cour

When religion, politics and Bollywood come together

Tavleen Singh, noted journalist and political commentator, has turned to fiction, with her debut novel ‘The Actor’ (HaperCollins India). Set in the near future, it has a superstar, Amit Singh, turning to politics, when the political landscape is dominated by prime minister Guru Gaynendraj

Cabinet approves setting up of Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority

The union cabinet, chaired by prime minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday approved the setting up of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), called Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority (ITLA), to strengthen research, planning, appraisal, monitoring and impact assessment within the broad domains of Transp

Why foundational literacy and numeracy is key to school education

Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) are often described as the building blocks of education. Yet, their significance goes well beyond a child’s ability to read a sentence, write a response or solve a basic mathematical problem. These foundational skills shape how children understand the world,

When police data becomes the algorithm

For decades, policing has followed a familiar sequence: a crime occurs, the police respond, an investigation produces records and those records become part of the institutional memory of the criminal justice system. Artificial intelligence is beginning to alter that sequence. Instead of merely recording

Before India voted, the framers worried about the referee

“We are making a Constitution forever and not only for today.” Shibban Lal Saksena said this in the Constituent Assembly on June 15, 1949. He was warning that a ruling party might one day choose a loyalist to run India’s elections. Seventy-seven years later, the Supreme Court is wrestli

Upcoming Conferences



-->

Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter