India's kharif foodgrain production seen at 114.6 million tonnes

The government has projected total food grain production in the country of 114.63 million tones (first advance estimates) during khaki 2010 against 103.84 million tones in khaki 2009 (fourth advance estimates).

The directorate of economics and statistics also reviewed the prospects of rabbi crops at various levels and finalized strategies for positioning of quality seeds, fertilizers and other inputs.

According to the department, the agro-climatic conditions in most parts of the country continue to be favorable for the current rabbi season. Adequate water is stored in reservoirs across the country while an extended monsoon period has helped in keeping the soil moisture level adequate for rained crops of wheat and pulses.

The climatic factors and active implementation of crop development programmers like National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Ashtray Kristi Vices Yolanda (RKVY) and Macro-Management of Agriculture (MMA), will ensure that the production of food grains is better than the last year's, minister of state for agriculture, consumer affairs, food and public distribution KV Thomas informed the Look Samba in a written reply today.
 
The government has, meanwhile, increased the minimum support price (MSP) of agricultural commodities to ensure better returns to farmers.

The government has also nominated new agencies such as Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) and National Consumers' Co-operative Federation (NCCF) in addition to National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED) in order to increase the number of centres for procurement of pulses, the minister said.

However, the government will continue the ban on export of wheat and non-basmati rice  until prices stabilise, the minister said.

The government banned export of wheat and non-basmati rice from 9 February 2007 and 1 April 2008, respectively. However, export of limited quantities of wheat and rice are being allowed for humanitarian aid to some countries. The export of pulses (except Kabuli Chana), however, is banned till 31 March 2011. There is no ban on export of sugar, though its exports are regulated, the minister noted.

He said requests from the governments and rice millers of Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh for allowing export of non-basmati rice have not yet been acceded to.