INDIA – Total food grain production in India is estimated at a record 283.37 million tonnes for the year 2018-19, 17.62 million tonnes higher than the previous five years’ average production.
According to 3rd advance estimates by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, total production of rice during the year is estimated at record 115.63 million tonnes.
This is a 2.87 million tonnes increase to the previous year’s (2017/18) production which was estimated at 112.76 million tonnes, and 7.83 million tonnes higher than the five years’ average production of 107.80 million tonnes.
Wheat production hit a record of 101.20 million tonnes, which was higher by 1.33 million tonnes as compared to wheat production of 99.87 million tonnes achieved during 2017-18.
The production of wheat during 2018-19 is higher by 6.59 million tonnes than the average wheat production of 94.61 million tonnes.
Production of Nutri / Coarse Cereals is estimated at 43.33 million tonnes and is marginally higher by 0.24 million tonnes than the average production.
Total Pulses production during 2018-19 is estimated at 23.22 million tonnes, which is higher by 0.24 million tonnes than the average production.
Total Oilseeds production in the country during 2018-19 is estimated at 31.42 million tonnes; led by soya beans which reached 13.74 million tonnes.
Rapeseed and mustard production were estimated at 8.78 million tonnes while groundnut reached 6.50 million tonnes.
With an increase by 20.46 million tonnes over 2017-18, total production of Sugarcane in the country during 2018-19 is estimated at record 400.37 million tonnes.
The production of sugarcane during 2018-19 is higher by 50.59 million tonnes than the average sugarcane production of 349.78 million tonnes.
In the year 2017-18, India’s production of all major crops including rice, wheat, coarse cereals and pulses reached a record high, estimated at 284.83 million.
The record output was attributed to near normal rainfall and the period ahead is expected to witness an upward trend on continued sowing operations, acreage and water availability.
India is said to hold the second-largest agricultural land in the world (179.9 million hectares) and is one of the world’s leading producer of millet, wheat, rice and pulses.
