Foodgrain production rises to 241.56 MT, record production of wheat, maize, pulses

The government today released the fourth advance estimates of foodgrain production for 2010-11.

Adccording to the latest estimates, India produced 241.56 million tonnes of foodgrains during 2010-11 compared to 218.11 million tonnes in the previous year, surpassing the 2008-09 record of 234.47 million tonnes.

The production of wheat, estimated at 85.93 million tonnes, is an all-time record as is the estimated at 18.09 million tones production of pulses.

Despite a setback in the production of kharif rice due to drought in some of the major rice producing areas in the country, significant improvement in production of rabi rice, wheat, pulses and coarse cereals has resulted in the higher ever production of foodgrains.

Estimated production of maize stands at record level of 21.28 million tonnes, which is significantly higher than the earlier record production of 19.73 million tonnes achieved during 2008-09. The production of  nine oilseeds estimated at 31.10 million tonnes is also an all time record.

Cotton production has increased from 24.23 million bales in 2009-10 to 33.43 million bales in 2010-11.

The production of sugarcane, which had attained a record level of 355.52 million tonnes during 2006-07 and declined in subsequent years, has again started witnessing increasing trend with an estimated production of 339.17 million tonnes in the current year.

The production estimates for major crops for 2010-11 are as follows:

Foodgrains  –  241.56 million tonnes:  highest ever

Rice  –  95.32 million tonnes

Wheat  –  85.93  million tonnes: highest ever

Coarse Cereals  –  42.22 million tonnes: highest ever

Maize  –  21.28 million tonnes: highest ever

Pulses  –  18.09 million tonnes: highest ever

Tur  –  2.89 million tonnes

Urad  –  1.74 million tonnes: highest ever

Moong  –  1.82 million tonnes: highest ever

Gram  –  8.25 million tonnes: highest ever

Oilseeds  –  31.10 million tonnes: highest ever

Soyabean  –  12.66 million tonnes: highest ever

Groundnut  –  7.54 million tonnes

Rabeseed & mustard – 7.67 million tonnes

Cotton  –  33.43 million bales (of 170 kg each): highest ever

Sugarcane – 339.17 million tonnes