The country is estimated to have harvested a record 279.51 million tonnes (MT) of foodgrains in the 2017-18 crop year ending next month, up 1.6 per cent from the previous year, on good monsoon and higher support price. The country achieved an all-time high production in all four foodgrains — rice, wheat, coarse cereals and pulses — during 2017-18 crop year (July-June).
According to the Agriculture Ministry’s third advance estimates of major crop production released on Wednesday, foodgrains production in the country is estimated at 279.51 million tonnes which is higher by 4.40 million tonnes than the previous record production of foodgrain of 275.11 million tonnes achieved during 2016-17.
In the second advance estimates released in February this year, the Ministry had projected foodgrains production at 277.49 MT tonnes for the current crop year. The bumper crop has led to a steep fall in prices of some agri-commodities like pulses and sugar causing distress to farmers. The Government has started procurement to ensure support price to farmers. The government releases four advance crop production estimates before the final one at difference stage between sowing and harvesting period.
As per estimates, rice production is estimated at record 111.52 million tonnes in 2017-18. Production of rice has increased by 1.82 million tonnes than the production of 109.70 million tonnes during 2016-17. Wheat production is also estimated at record 98.61 million tonnes, which is higher by 0.10 million tonnes as compared to wheat production of 98.51 million tonnes achieved during 2016-17.
Officials said pulses production is also estimated at record 24.51 million tonnes which is higher by 1.37 million tonnes than the previous year’s production of 23.13 million tonnes. . The production of pulses during 2017-18 is higher than the last five years’ average production by 5.66 million tonnes.
Pulses production in India reached a six-year low of 16.3 mt in 2015-16 after back-to-back drought conditions in major growing regions, taking wholesale and retail prices to record levels. This had prompted farmers in states such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh to sow more, and that resulted in a supply glut in 2016-17.
In 2017-18, after a price crash, the sowing of tur and moong subsided, but that of urad (kharif crop) and gram (rabi crop) continued to rise. With a considerable increase in the acreage and production of urad and gram, and a reduction in both for soyabean and wheat, Madhya Pradesh had an impact on nationwide crop estimates this year.
The production of Nutri/Coarse Cereals during 2017-18 is estimated at record 44.87 million tonnes is higher than the average production of the last five years by 3.17 million tonnes.
“The assessment of production of different crops is based on the feedback received from States and validated with information available from other sources,” said officials.