Foodgrain production marginally higher at 252.23 mn tonnes in 2015-16 despite poor rains

Despite setback due to deficient rainfall and shortage of water in reservoirs, foodgrain production in the country in the 2015-16 (June-July) crop year has been marginally higher at 252.22 million tonnes - 0.21 million tonnes higher than the production of 252.02 million tonnes during 2014-15. 

As per the fourth advance estimates of production of major crops for 2015-16 released by the department of agriculture, cooperation and farmers welfare, total rice production in the country stood at 104.32 million tonnes, wheat production at 93.50 million tonnes and production of coarse cereals  at 37.94 million tonnes while pulses  production stood at 16.47 million tonnes.

Production of all foodgrain crops, with the exception of wheat and cereals, declined in 2015-16 compared with the previous year. While overall foodgrain production is the same in the fourth advance estimate and the third estimate announced in May, there are small changes in individual projections for most major crops, including rice, wheat and pulses.

Rice production in 2015-16, at 104.32 million tonnes, was lower than last year's 105.48 million tonnes. Wheat production at 93.50 million tonnes in 2015-16 was higher than the previous year's 88.94 million tonnes.

Production of jowar, bajra, maize, ragi, small millets and barley at 4.41 million tonnes, 8.06 million tonnes, 21.81 million tonnes, 1.79 million tonnes, 0.37 million tonnes and 1.51 million tonnes, respectively, in 2015-16 were lower than in the previous year.

Cereal production was higher at 235.76 million tonnes in the 2013-14 crop year compared with 234.87 million tonnes the year before.

Production of major commercial crops, including oilseeds (25.3 million tonnes) cotton (30.147 million bales of 170 kg each) and sugarcane (352.163 million tonnes) was lower during 2015-16, as per the latest estimates.

Sugarcane production, as per the fourth estimate, at 352.16 million tonnes was lower than the previous year's production of 362.33 million tonnes.

Cotton production was lower at 30.147 million bales in 2015-16 against 34.805 million bales in the previous year.

Oilseeds production, at 25.30 million tonnes was also lower than the previous year's production of 27.51 million tonnes.