India’s foodgrain production seen at record 273.4 million tonnes in 2016-17
09 May 2017
India's foodgrain production in the 2016-17 crop season is likely to touch a record 273.38 million tonnes, slightly higher than the previous estimate of 271.98 million tonnes, figures provided by the agriculture ministry showed.
Helped by ample monsoon rains, India wheat production is likely to touch a record 97.44 million tonnes of wheat, higher than a previous forecast of 96.64 million tonnes, the statement said.
Rice production is estimated at 109.15 million tonnes, while pulses output is pegged at 22.40 million tonnes.
Production of coarse cereals is estimated at new record level of 44.39 million tonnes.
Production of pulses is estimate at record 22.40 million tonnes, as per the third advance estimates of production of major crops for 2016-17 released by the department of agriculture, cooperation and farmers welfare.
The estimated production of various crops as per the third advance estimates for 2016-17 vis-à-vis the comparative estimates for the years 2003-04 onwards is as under:
| Foodgrains | 273.38 million tonnes (record) |
| Rice | 109.15 million tonnes (record) |
| Wheat | 97.44 million tonnes (record) |
| Coarse Cereals | 44.39 million tonnes (record) |
| Maize | 26.14 million tonnes (record) |
| Pulses | 22.40 million tonnes (record) |
| Gram | 9.08 million tonnes |
| Tur | 4.60 million tonnes (record) |
| Urad | 2.93 million tonnes (record) |
| Oilseeds | 32.52 million tonnes |
| Soyabean | 14.01 million tonnes |
| Groundnut | 7.65 million tonnes |
| Castorseed | 1.55 million tonnes |
| Cash crops: | |
| Cotton | 32.58 million bales (of 170 kg each) |
| Sugarcane | 306.03 million tonnes |
The ministry attributes the record food production to very good rainfall during monsoon 2016 and various policy initiatives taken by the government in the current year.