FOODGRAINS PRODUCTION SLATED TO RISE ABOUT 20 PER CENT

RICE PRODCUTION ESTIMATED AT 75.05 MTs

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The total kharif foodgrains production this year is estimated at 108.45 million tones which is a rise of nearly 20%, registering an increase of about 18 million tonnes over last year’s production. The kharif rice production in 2003-04 is expected to reach 75.05 million tonnes, marking an increase of 8.54 million tonnes .The production of coarse cereals is estimated at 27.96 million tonnes, registering a remarkable increase of 7.83 million tones. The production of Kharif pulses this year is expected to reach 5.44 million tones.

In the Commercial crops, oilseeds production is estimated at 15.08 million tones registering an increase of 63.6 per cent over last year. Soya bean production estimated at 7.10 million tones whereas groundnut production is estimated 5.93 million tones this year.

The First Advance Estimates of kharif production figures were revealed out at the two-day National Conference on Agriculture for Rabi Campaign 2003-04, which concluded today. The Conference was chaired by Agriculture Secretary Shri R.C.A.Jain. The foodgrain production estimates are based on the feedback given by the States. The information base obtained from the Space Application Centre and Agriculture Ministry’s Crop Weather Watch Group.

Production of cotton is likely to jump by 40 per cent over last year’s production. It is estimated at 13.12 million bales of 170Kg each, as compared to 9.31 million bales last year.

The production of jute and sugarcane are likely to register a marginal decline. Jute and Mesta are estimated at 10.75 million bales of 180 kg. each which is lesser than last year’s 10.78 million bales. Sugarcane production is estimated to decline by 17.2 million tonnes or 6.2% to 261.4 million tonnes this year from last year’s level of 278.6 million tonnes. The decline in sugarcane production mostly reflects the decline in sugarcane production in Maharashtra, which is estimated to be hardly at half the normal production of about 50 million tonnes.

The two-day Conference was attended by State Agricultural Production Commissioners, State Agriculture Secretaries, Vice-Chancellors of Agricultural Universities, senior scientists from the ICAR and senior officers of the Planning Commission, Department of Space, Department of Agriculture & Cooperation and other Organisations like Reserve Bank of India and NABARD. The Conference discussed in detail the strategies for forthcoming Rabi season, including cropping plan and availability of key inputs, for different crops in different States.

During group discussions, drought-hit states like Karnataka, Kerala, and Maharashtra have brought to the fore the problems arising from deficient rainfall which have implications for the Rabi/summer crops in their respective States. The Conference, therefore, underscored the need for evolving appropriate strategy to cope with the problems likely to be encountered in the near future.

First advanced estimates of Kharif Crops are as under:

				As on 30.09.2003
				(in million tonnes)
Crops	2003-04	2002-03		Difference
	estimates	Estimates #		Absolute	%
FOODGRAINS
Rice	75.05	66.51		8.54	12.8
Jowar	4.61	4.05		0.56	13.8
Bajra	7.72	4.62		3.10	67.1
Maize	12.80	9.17		3.63	39.6
Ragi	2.32	1.85		0.47	25.4
Small Millets	0.51	0.44		0.07	15.9
Total Coarse Cereals	27.96	20.13		7.83	38.9
Tur	2.75	2.12		0.63	29.7
Other Kharif Pulses	2.69	1.72		0.97	56.4
Total Kharif Pulses	5.44	3.84		1.60	41.7
Total Kharif Foodgrains	108.45	90.48		17.97	19.9
COMMERCIAL CROPS
Oilseeds
Groundnut	5.93	3.56		2.37	66.6
Castorseed	0.68	0.43		0.25	58.1
Sesamum	0.64	0.42		0.22	52.4
Nigerseeds	0.12	0.11		0.01	9.1
Sunflower	0.61	0.18		0.43	238.9
Soyabean	7.10	4.52		2.58	57.1
Total Kharif Oilseeds	15.08	9.22		5.86	63.6
Cotton*	13.12	9.31		3.81	40.9
Jute & Mesta**	10.75	10.78		-0.03	-0.3
Sugarcane	261.37	278.56		-17.19	-6.2
* Million bales of 170 kg. Each.		** Milion bales of 180 kg. Each

# fourth advance estimates