India revises 2009-10 grain production estimate to 218.2 million tonnes

With record production of wheat and pulses, total foodgrain production in the country is estimated to have reached 218 million tonnes in the (2009-10) crop year against a record 234.47 million tonnes in the previous year (2008-09).

Total foodgrain production in the country is likely to be around 218.2 million tonnes in 2009-10, as per the fourth advance estimates of crop productions released today.

Latest estimates, which covers the 2009 kharif crop that was heavily damaged by the severe drought, are slightly up from the third advance estimates issued in May.

The impact of the drought was especially severe in the case of kharif rice, groundnut and coarse cereals. In the subsequent rabi season, some ground was regained but the overall production was still about 16 million tonnes lower than 234.47 million tonnes achieved in 2008-09.

Incidentally, 2008-09 had been a year of record production of foodgrains following years of good weather.

As per the latest estimates, wheat production in the country reached record 80.71 million tonnes in 2009-10, marginally higher than the earlier best of 80.68 million tonnes achieved in 2008-09. Similarly, pulses production has reached a record 14.59 million tonnes, against the previous estimate of 14.57 million tonnes in 2008-09.

Production of rice in 2009-10 stood at 89.13 million tonnes, wheat 80.71 million tonnes, coarse cereals 33.77 million tonnes, pulses 14.59 million tonnes, oilseeds 24.9 million tones and sugarcane 277.8 million tonnes. There has been minor upward revision in almost all crops compared to the third revised estimates.