India’s Kharif Foodgrains Production Estimated at 140.57 million tonnes

India’s foodgrains production in the rainfed Kharif season is estimated at 140.57 million tonnes – 0.8 percent down from the total output estimated in 2018-19 season. However, it is 6.38 percent more than average foodgrain production of previous 5 years' i.e. from 2013-14 to 2017-18.

According to the first advance estimate released by the agriculture ministry, production of rice is estimated at 100.35 million tonnes and pulses output is estimated at 8.23 million tonnes. In the previous Kharif season, the pulses production was estimated at 8.59 million tonnes.

A senior agriculture department official said that "The assessment of production of various crops is based on the feedback that is received from States & validated with information available from other sources. The production figures will differ as there is lot of time left for harvest”.

The total oilseeds’ production in India during 2019-20 is estimated at 22.39 million tonnes that is higher by 1.11 million tonnes as compared to the production of 21.28 million tonnes in 2018-19. The oilseeds production in 2019-20 is also higher by 2.17 million tonnes than the average output of oilseeds.

On the other hand, coarse cereals output is estimated at 32.00 million tonnes that is again higher by 1.01 million tonnes in comparison to the production of 30.99 million tonnes achieved in 2018-19.

Sugarcane production in the country during 2019-20 is estimated at 377.77 million tonnes that is around 6 percent down from last year’s production.

The official said, "The first delay in monsoon rains had spoilt the prospects of sugarcane crops & then extreme rains and floods destroyed the standing crops. This has reduced the size of crop. But, damage is not to that extent".

Meanwhile, cotton production is estimated at 32.27 million bales (of 170 kg each) that is higher by 3.56 million bales against production of 28.71 million bales in 2018-19.