India’s foodgrain production estimated to decline by 4.6 percent

The Indian foodgrain production is projected to decline by 4.66 percent to 252.68 million tonnes in 2014-15 due to “setbacks” in kharif and rabi seasons.

“Production of kharif crops during 2014-15 suffered due to bad monsoon. Unseasonal rains/hailstorm during Feb-March 2015 had significant impact on production of rabi crops. As a result of setback in kharif as well as rabi seasons, the production of most of the crops in the country has declined during 2014-15,” according to the fourth advance estimates of production of major crops released by the ministry on Monday.

• The foodgrain production during the previous year was 265.04 million tonnes.
• The ministry’s fourth Advance Estimates for 2014-15 said the total production of rice was estimated at 104.80 million tonnes which is lower by 1.85 million tonnes than last year’s 106.65 million tonnes.
• The ministry’s release said that production of wheat was likely to be 88.94 million tonnes, a dip of 6.91 million tonnes over output of 95.85 million tonnes in the previous year.
• Total production of coarse cereals is pegged at 41.75 million tonnes, a fall of 1.54 million tonnes over 2013-14. The output of cereals is expected to plunge by 2.05 million tonnes to 17.20 million tonnes.
• Production of jute and mesta is estimated at 11.45 million bales which is marginally lower than the production during the last year.
• Total production of oilseeds in the country is estimated at 26.68 million tonnes, which is a decline of 6.07 million tonnes over the last year.
• The production of sugarcane is estimated to grow by 7.19 million tonnes to 359.33 million tonnes compared to last year.
• Production of cotton is estimated to dip marginally and is estimated at 35.48 million bales.
• The government releases four advance estimates in an agriculture year (July-June) and this is followed by final estimates of production of major agricultural crops.