117.18 MT Food grain Production Estimated in the Kharif Season

As per the First Advance Estimates of production of Kharif crops, 117.18 million tonnes (MT) food grains is likely to be produced in the current season.

These production estimates are higher than the average of the first advance estimates of the last five years (113 MT). Final estimates are generally 5 to 10% higher than the first estimates. Even as compared to the average of final estimates (118.86 MT), the current estimates are lower by 1.68 million tonnes or about 1.4% despite deficient and late rains this year.

These estimates were released by Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar today. Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said, the estimates were higher than expectations considering the truant monsoon rains.

The assessment of production of different crops is based on the feedback received from States and validated with information available from other sources.

The estimated production of major crops during Kharif 2012-13 is as under:

Food grains ‒ 117.18 million tonnes
Rice ‒ 85.59 million tonnes
Coarse Cereals ‒ 26.33 million tonnes
Maize ‒ 14.89 million tonnes
Pulses ‒ 5.26 million tonnes
Tur ‒ 2.78 million tonnes
Urad ‒ 1.14 million tonnes
Oilseeds ‒ 18.78 million tonnes
Soyabean ‒ 12.62 million tonnes
Groundnut ‒ 3.82 million tonnes
Castorseed ‒ 1.40 million tonnes
Cotton ‒ 33.40 million bales (of 170 kg each)
Sugarcane ‒ 335.33 million tonnes

As per 1st advance estimates, production of Rice estimated at 85.59 million tonnes, though lower as compared to last year’s record Kharif production, is higher than the average production of 83.17 million tonnes.

The estimated production of Coarse Cereals, is however, lower than average production by 3.65 million tonnes mainly on account of loss in area coverage under Bajra and Maize in the States of Gujarat, Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Rajasthan.

The estimated production of Kharif Pulses is also lower than the average production by 0.45 million tonnes mainly due to shortfall in Moong and other Kharif Pulses.

Though there is a significant increase in estimated production of soya bean, yet due to decline in the production of Groundnut, total production of Kharif Oilseeds estimated at 18.78 million tonnes is lower than the average production by 0.61 million tonnes.

The current year’s production of Sugarcane estimated at 335.33 million tonnes is higher by 10.22 million tonnes as compared to average production.

The estimated production of Cotton at 33.40 million bales (of 170 kg each) has registered an increase of 5.32 million bales as compared to average cotton production of 28.08 million bales. Production of Jute is also estimated to be marginally higher than the average production.