‘Foodgrain output to reach a new record in 2017-18’

The Dollar Business Bureau 

India’s foodgrain production is expected to reach a new high in the crop year 2017-18 which begins from July, on the hopethat India has normal rains consecutively for the second year, said Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh. 

Foodgrain output is projected to be at a record high at 273.38 million tonnes in the current crop year (July-June) on the back of good monsoon after drought for two years, compared to 251.57 million tonnes previous year. The last all-time high output was 265.04 million tonnes in the crop year 2013-14.

Foodgrain list consists of wheat, rice, pulses and coarse cereals.

“The Met department has forecasted normal monsoon for this year. If the monsoon is good, I am confident that foodgrain output will boost growth rate to more than 4.4% achieved in 2016-17,” the Minister said on Monday while sharing the achievements of the government in the farm sector in past three years.

The Met department prediction was correct last year and it is hoping the same this year too.

The Southwest monsoon, has reached Andaman and Nicobar Islands on May 14, three days earlier. Monsoons are important for farm production and economic growth in the country. But it is to be seen if the monsoon will hit Kerala before its schedule, Singh said.

The Ministry of Agriculture has set the target for foodgrain production at a record 273 million tonnes for the crop year 2017-18 and expects to attain 4% growth in the farm sector, following the forecast of normal monsoon.

Around 50% of the country’s foodgrain production is met from both Rabi (winter) Kharif (summer) seasons. The sowing of the Kharif season crops such as pulses and paddy will start with the arrival of southwest monsoon.