NEW DELHI: India in 2020-21 produced an all-time high 308 million tonnes of foodgrains, which was 3.7% higher than the output in previous year, the agriculture ministry said on Wednesday.
It noted that all major crops in the foodgrains basket (paddy, wheat, maize and gram) and oilseeds logged record outputs in the crop year. Output of oilseeds recorded an increase of over 9% and output of pulses recorded an increase of over 8%, in sync with the government’s priority to focus on these crops.
Releasing the fourth advance estimates of production of major agricultural crops for 2020-21 (July-June cycle), the ministry said foodgrain production was over 11 million tonnes (MT) higher than the output in 2019-20 and nearly 30 MT higher than the five years’ (2015-16 to 2019-20) average production of foodgrains.
In the output estimation cycle, the fourth estimate is considered close to the final one which may be released in the next couple of months.
Earlier in May, the ministry had estimated foodgrain output of 305 MT through its third estimation. India had produced 297 MT of foodgrains in 2019-20. The higher production can be attributed to good monsoon rains last year when farmers recorded higher acreage despite challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. “The record foodgrains are being produced due to the tireless hard work of the farmers, skills of the scientists and the agriculture and farmer friendly policies of the government,” said agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar.
As per the fourth estimation, rice production was pegged at 122 MT in 2020-21 as against around 119 MT in the previous year.
It noted that all major crops in the foodgrains basket (paddy, wheat, maize and gram) and oilseeds logged record outputs in the crop year. Output of oilseeds recorded an increase of over 9% and output of pulses recorded an increase of over 8%, in sync with the government’s priority to focus on these crops.
Releasing the fourth advance estimates of production of major agricultural crops for 2020-21 (July-June cycle), the ministry said foodgrain production was over 11 million tonnes (MT) higher than the output in 2019-20 and nearly 30 MT higher than the five years’ (2015-16 to 2019-20) average production of foodgrains.
In the output estimation cycle, the fourth estimate is considered close to the final one which may be released in the next couple of months.
Earlier in May, the ministry had estimated foodgrain output of 305 MT through its third estimation. India had produced 297 MT of foodgrains in 2019-20. The higher production can be attributed to good monsoon rains last year when farmers recorded higher acreage despite challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. “The record foodgrains are being produced due to the tireless hard work of the farmers, skills of the scientists and the agriculture and farmer friendly policies of the government,” said agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar.
As per the fourth estimation, rice production was pegged at 122 MT in 2020-21 as against around 119 MT in the previous year.
