India’s food grain output hits a record 257 million tonnes
23 Apr 2012
India is estimated to have produced about 256.88 million tones of foodgrains during 2011-12 compared to 244.78 million tonnes in the previous year, third advance estimates of crop production for 2011-12 released today showed
Total production of rice is estimated at 103.41 million tonnes, which is an all time record. Production of wheat, estimated at 90.23 million tonnes, is also a new record, agriculture minister Sharad Pawar said today.
As a result of significant increase in production of rice and wheat, the record foodgrain production of 256.88 million tonnes is much higher than the targeted 245.00 million tonnes fixed for the year.
Estimated production of foodgrains for the year is also way above earlier record foodgrain production of 244.78 million tonnes achieved during 2010-11.
Production of pulses and oilseeds is estimated at 17.02 million tonnes and 30.06 million tones, respectively.
Cotton production also set a new record at an estimated 35.20 million bales (170 kg each).
The estimated production of sugarcane stands at 351.19 million tones, which is higher by 8.81 million tonnes compared to the level of production in 2010-11.
The production estimates for major crops for 2011-12 are as follows:
- Foodgrains (256.88 million tonnes)
- Rice – 103.41 million tonnes (record)
- Wheat – 90.23 million tonnes (highest ever)
- Coarse Cereals – 41.91 million tonnes
- Maize – 21.33 million tonnes
- Pulses (17.02 million tonnes)
- Tur – 2.71 million tonnes
- Gram – 7.40 million tonnes
- Urad – 1.81 million tonnes (record)
- Moong – 1.57 million tonnes
- Oilseeds – 30.06 million tonnes
- Soyabean – 12.24 million tonnes
- Groundnut – 6.95 million tonnes
- Rapeseed & Mustard – 6.96 million tonnes
- Cotton – 35.20 million bales (170 kg each) (record)
- Sugarcane – 351.19 million tonnes
Meanwhile, the agriculture minister today inaugurated the National Crop Forecast Centre (NCFC) in New Delhi today. The NCFC, named after great Indian statistician PC Mahalanobis, has been set up in collaboration with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
It will be responsible for preparing multiple in-season crop forecast and assessment of drought situation using state of the art techniques and methodology for selected major crops (See: National Crop Forecast Centre to make maiden forecast from kharif season).
