India's 2011-12 foodgrains output set to be a record 250 MT

New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) India's foodgrains production, for the second year in a row, is expected to be a record 250.42 million tonnes in the 2011-12 crop year, bolstered by a significant contribution from the eastern belt, specially the states of Bihar and Jharkhand. Last year, the country had harvested a record 244.78 million tonnes (MT) of foodgrain, that includes rice, wheat, coarse cereals and pulses. Both rice and wheat production are seen to set fresh records at 102.75 MT and 88.31 MT in 2011-12 crop year (July-June), respectively, India's Agriculture Secretary P K Basu told reporters here today, after releasing the second advance crop estimates for the year. In 2010-11, rice production was at 95.98 MT and wheat output at 86.87 MT. The record foodgrains production would help the government introduce the Food Security Bill, which aims to provide cheaper grains to the poor. It also means that the government may continue export of rice and wheat for some time considering storage concerns. Highlighting the performance of the eastern states, Basu said: "Bihar and Jharkhand, known as laggard states in agriculture production and productivity, have outperformed in yields as their rice output has more than doubled to 6.75 MT and 3.3 MT, respectively, this year." Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in his independence day address on August 15, 2011, had said that a second Green Revolution is needed to increase farm production and control rising food prices, as well as to meet the grain requirement under the proposed Food Law. As per the second advance estimate, production of coarse cereals is estimated be slighly lower at 42.08 MT in 2011-12 crop year, against 43.68 MT last year. Of this, maize output is estimated to be 16.10 MT. Similarly, production of pulses is estimated to be lower at 17.28 MT, as against 18.24 MT last year. As for oilseeds, their output is estimated to be less at 30.52 MT this year as against 32.47 MT in 2010-11. Of this, production of soyabean and sunflower is pegged at 12 MT and 0.56 MT, respectively. Among cash crops, cotton production is set to be a record 34.08 million bales (of 170 kg each) this year, as against 33 million bales. Similarly, sugarcane production is also expected to be a record 347.86 million tonnes, as against 342.38 million tonnes in the review period. However, jute ouput is likely to be lower at 11.61 million bales (of 180 kg each) this year, as against 10.62 million bales last year. PTI