1st estimate of rabi crop released by NCML; record grain output to be witnessed in 2020

On January 27, 2020 agriculture post-harvest management company- National Collateral Management Services Limited (NCML) has released its 1st estimate of for 2019-20 rabi crop production. The year 2020 is expected to make record food grain production led by the wheat crop along with corn and jowar while Oilseeds and pulses may have lower production.1st estimate of rabi crop by NCML:
Rabi season: This season which contributes 50% of foodgrain production usually starts from the month of November and lasts till the following year’s April month. The Rabi paddy production is also estimated to increase by 5% further.

• Cereal production: Overall cereal production is forecasted to increase by 7% in the current Rabi season i.e., from 2019-20.
• Rabi food grain production: The total rabi food grain production is estimated to be higher by 6% at 1527 Lakh Tonnes as against 1432 lakh tonnes of production witnessed during Rabi 2018-19.
• Rabi oilseed production: The oil seed production is expected to decline by 2.7% for 2019-20.
• Monsoon: The year 2019 witnessed 10% above normal rainfall with 968 mm rainfall level which was higher than the normal level of 880.6 mm.  The excess rainfall has generated more favourable conditions for sowing.

Crop production:

i.Wheat Production: Wheat being the main crop of the Rabi season saw a total production of estimated at 1090 lakh tonnes for 2019-20 which is 6.27% higher than 2018-19 production (1021 lakh tonnes). The production is also expected to increase further due to Minimum Support Price’s (MSP’s) increase.

ii.Maize production: Apart from paddy and wheat, in India, Maize is the third largest cereal crop of Rabi season. The maize production during 2019-20 was estimated to be 89.2 lakh tonnes and was higher by 8.25% from 2018-19.

iii.Jowar crop: This crop is primarily grown in the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The jowar production was estimated at 31.2 lakh tonnes during 2019-20 as against 20.2 lakh tonnes during rabi 2018, higher by 35.2%.

Pulse production:
The pulse production may show marginal decline by 2% from its previous year production. Indian Rabi pulses production for the year 2019-20 is estimated at 144.8 lakh tonnes as against 148 Lakh tonnes witnessed during 2018-19.

i.Gram: Among all the rabi crops, Gram has the highest acreage (land area). For the current season 2019-21 the gram production is estimated to be lower by 5% at 95.82lakh tonnes from previous production of 101.3 lakh tonnes.

ii.Moong bean: It is estimated to decline by 10% to 4.62 lakh tonnes in 2019-20 from 5.10 lakh tonnes in the foregoing year due to decline in acreage.

iii.Mustard production: Production of Mustard is estimated at 85.79 lakh tonnes for 2019-20 which is lower by 8.8% as against last year’s production of 93.4 lakh tonnes. The oilseed is primarily grown in the states of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana.

Horticulture output:
The Horticulture output including tomato, onion, potato etc is estimated to be 313.35 million tonnes(mt) in 2019-20 from the actual output of 310.74 mt of 2018-19.

• Onion production: The overall onion production is expected to increase 7% to 24.45 mt in 2019-20, which can be seen as a relief to consumers from high prices seen in the past few months.
• Potato production: Production of potato is estimated to go up to 51.94 mt for 2019-20.

About National Collateral Management Services Limited(NCML):
Founded- 2004.
Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officer(CEO)- Siraj A. Chaudhry.
Headquarters- Mumbai, Maharashtra