Buoyed by good rains received across the country, the Modi Government has set a foodgrain target of 291.1 million tonnes (MT) for 2019-20. It is 6 million tones more than last year. India’s foodgrains output in 2018-19 was 284.95 million tonnes.
According to the agriculture ministry, despite floods in 12 states this year, India’s food grain crop production in the Kharif season (summer-sown) will be higher than last year’s 141.71 MT on better monsoon rains.
As per the targets set, projected production of coarse cereals would be 48.3 MT as against expected 42.95 MT in 2018-19 and that of pulses 26.30 MT (23.40 million tonnes in 2018-19).
The targets for rice and wheat have been retained at 116 MT (116.42 million tonnes) and 100.5 MT (102.19 million tonnes) respectively.
Area sown to summer crops remained flat at 1,054.13 lakh hectare so far in the ongoing kharif season of the 2019-20 crop year (July-June). Area sown to rice was down by 5.25 lakh hectare to 378.62 lakh hectare so far this season and pulses by 2.41 lakh hectare to 132.99 lakh hectare, as per the latest government data. However, acreage of coarse cereals was up by 3.1 lakh hectare to 178.12 lakh hectare, while that of oilseeds remained flat at 178 lakh hectare in the said period.
The official said the prospects of rabi sowing looks bright because of better soil moisture on account of good monsoon now and reservoirs are also full.
Speaking at the national conference to launch rabi campaign on Friday, Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Parshottam Rupala said both kharif and rabi crop yields are expected to be very good this year, thanks bountiful rains received during the curent monsoon season. The minister said kharif crops were affected in some states because of floods but it would not have much impact on the overall production. “Still, we will have bumper production in kharif season, higher than last year,” Rupala added.
Later briefing the media on the sidelines, Agricultural Commissioner S K Malhotra said “they have expected better foodgrains production despite floods effected 12 States. “The adverse impact is limited to smaller areas in most states,” said Malhotra. “Water levels in as many as 97 reservoirs are more than 80 per cent. This will ensure we have an excellent rabi crop this year,” Malhotra added. He also noted that rabi crops are mostly grown in irrigated area. Acreage of maize and mustard seed is expected to be higher in the rabi season.