The Hindu : Front Page : Foodgrains output estimated to be higher this year

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 23, 2006

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Front Page

Foodgrains output estimated to be higher this year

Gargi Parsai

Wheat production likely to fall short of the original target of 75 million tonnes `Rise in temperature in the last three weeks is likely to impact the standing crop in the wheat-sowing States... ."

NEW DELHI : The Union Government on Wednesday put the estimated foodgrains output for the current year (2005-06) at 209.32 million tonnes compared to 204.61 million tonnes last year. Of this the kharif production is likely to be 108.15 million tonnes compared to 103 million tonnes last year. There is likely to be a slight decline in the rabi output that is estimated at 101.17 million tonnes against 101.29 million tonnes last year. Sugarcane, maize and soyabean production will, however, be substantially higher than last year.

Although the wheat output is likely to be higher this year at 73.06 million tonnes against 72 million tonnes last year, it will be short of the initial target of 75 million tonnes. Increase in temperature in the last three weeks is likely to impact the standing crop in the wheat-sowing States. Besides, sowing in Madhya Pradesh has been below par owing to drought in the Malwa region. The drop in wheat production will not augur well for the country, which already has had to import five lakh tonnes of wheat to control prices in the open market.

Announcing the (second) advance estimates, Union Agriculture Secretary Radha Singh said States had reported a "marginal dip'' in production due to vagaries of the weather, be it drought in Madhya Pradesh or frost and now prolonged rise in temperatures in parts of North India. The farm growth rate, however, is expected to grow by 2.3 per cent during the current year as against 1.2 per cent last year.

These figures were arrived at during the National Conference on Agriculture for Kharif Campaign-2006 attended by State Farm Production Commissioners, Vice-Chancellors of Agriculture Universities and representatives of the Indian Council of Agriculture Research, Planning Commission and NABARD here on Wednesday

Expressing concern over increasing import of oilseeds and pulses, Ms. Singh informed the conference that a Bio-Technology Regulatory Authority was being set up to oversee issues relating to genetically modified seeds and crops.

She said the next -- third advance -- foodgrains estimates in April might show "up and down" variations. The current estimates put rice production at 87.86 million tonnes against 85.31 million tonnes last year. Oilseeds output is likely to be a record 26.37 million tonnes. Maize is also likely to be at an all-time high of 14.99 million tonnes and soyabean at 7.92 million tonnes. Rapeseed and mustard have shown a marginal decline over last year at 7.69 million tonnes compared to 8.36 million tonnes in 2004-05.

Sugarcane output is likely to be 15 per cent higher at 266.88 million tonnes compared to 232.32 million tonnes. Pulses production is also expected to be higher at 14.41 million tonnes against 13.38 million tonnes last year.

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