India’s foodgrain production grows 8.1% in 2016-17

The Dollar Business Bureau

India’s foodgrain grew 8.1% to 271.98 million tonnes so far in 2016-17, according to the second advance estimates issued by the agriculture & farmer welfare ministry.

This year’s production is estimated to be 15% higher than the average foodgrain output of the last five fiscals (2011-12 to 2015-16), largely as a result of normal monsoon the past year and various policy measures initiated by the government.

Last year, India registered normal monsoon, experiencing just 3% below average. The Indian monsoon in 2015 and 2014 registered a 14% and 12% deficit, respectively.    

On the back of an improved weather this year, the production of wheat, cereals, rice, pulses and oilseeds are projected to touch new records.

Total rice production this year is estimated to reach 108.86 million tonnes, 4.45 million tonnes higher than the production of 104.41 million tonnes in 2015-16, and 3.44 million tonnes higher than the five years' average production of 105.42 million tonnes.

Production of Wheat this year is estimated at 96.64 million tonnes, 4.36 million tonnes higher than the total production of 92.29 million tonnes in 2015-16, and also higher than the previous record production of 95.85 million tonnes in 2013-14.

After a record decline in pulses production for the last two years, total production of pulses this year is estimated at 22.14 million tonnes, 5.79 million tonnes higher than the production of 16.35 million tonnes in 2015-16 and 2.89 million tonnes higher than the previous record production of 19.25 million tonnes in 2013-14. The higher domestic production this year is as a result of an increase in the area under cultivation and productivity of all major pulses.

Oilseeds production is also estimated to increase this year, from an overall production of 25.25 million tonnes in 2015-16 to 33.60 million tonnes in 2016-17, and 0.85 million tonnes higher than the previous record production of 32.75 million tonnes in 2013-14.