India ups 2009-10 grain output estimate to 218.20 million tns

New Delhi, July 19 (PTI) The Indian government Monday
revised upward its foodgrain production estimates at 218.20
million tonnes in the 2009-10 crop year, even as it sees lower
output of rice, wheat and pulses.

Although foodgrains production in the 2009-10 crop year
(July-June) is anticipated to surpass the earlier estimate of
218.19 million tonnes, it is still lower than the output of
234.47 million tonnes achieved in 2008-09, it said in a
statement.
India's Agriculture Ministry, which forecasts foodgrains
production at different stages of harvest, has lowered the
production estimates for rice, wheat, pulses and oilseeds, but
has augmented the projections for coarse cereals output in its
fourth advance estimates of crop production for 2009-10.
As per the fourth estimates, rice production is likely to
be around 89.13 million tonnes in 2009-10, lower than the
earlier projection of 89.31 million tonnes and much lower than
the record 99.18 million tonnes achieved in 2008-09.
The sharp fall in rice output was mainly due to the
severe drought in 2009 that hit more than half the country.
Though wheat output is seen marginally down from the
earlier estimate at 80.71 million tonnes, it is still higher
than the previous year's record output of 80.68 million
tonnes.
Pulses production is also pegged at 14.59 million tonnes,
lower than the earlier forecast of 14.77 million tonnes, but
higher than the previous year's 14.57 million tonnes.
Similarly, oilseeds production is likely to be 23.94
million tonnes less than the earlier projection of 25.41
million tonnes for 2009-10. This is also lower than the
previous year's actual production of 27.72 million tonnes.
In contrast, coarse cereals production is likely to have
improved to 23.63 million tonnes in 2009-10 from the earlier
estimate of 23.20 million tonnes. Nevertheless, coarse cereals
output is still lower than the production of 28.54 million
tonnes in 2008-09.
Sugarcane output is likely to have slightly improved to
277.75 million, lower than the previous year's production of
285.03 million tonnes.
Among non-food crops, cotton production is seen to have
risen to 24.93 million bales in 2009-10 from 22.28 million
bales in 2008-09. One bale of cotton contains 170 kg.
Similarly, jute output is likely to have increased to
10.70 million bales (one bale of jute is equal to 180 kg) in
2009-10 from 9.63 million bales in the previous year.
Foodgrains are grown in both the Rabi (winter) and Kharif
(summer) season in the country. PTI LUX
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