India's 2016-17 foodgrain output seen at record 276 mn tonnes

Helped by good monsoon rains, India, the world's second-biggest grower of cereals such as rice and wheat, produced a record 275.68 million tonnes of grains in the 2016-17 crop year against a forecast of 273.38 million tones, data released by the agriculture ministry on Wednesday showed

As per fourth advance estimates for 2016-17, total foodgrain production in the country stood at 275.68 million tonnes, which is higher by 10.64 million tonnes (4.01 per cent) than the previous record production of 265.04 million tonnes during 2013-14. The current year's production is also higher by 18.67 million tonnes (7.27 per cent) than the average foodgrain production in the previous five years (2011-12 to 2015-16). The current year's production is significantly higher by 24.12 million tonnes (9.59 per cent) than the last year's foodgrain production.

Total production of rice is estimated at record 110.15 million tones, which is also a new record. This year's rice production is higher by 3.50 million tonnes (3.28 per cent) than the previous record production of 106.65 million tonnes achieved during 2013-14. It is also higher by 4.74 million tonnes (4.49 per cent) than the five-year average rice production of 105.42 million tonnes. Production of rice has increased significantly by 5.74 million tonnes (5.50 per cent) from the 104.41 million tonnes produced during 2015-16. 

Wheat production, estimated at 98.38 million tonnes, also a record, is higher by 2.64 per cent than the previous record production of 95.85 million tonnes achieved during 2013-14.  Wheat production during 2016-17 is also higher by 5.77 million tonnes (6.23 per cent) than the average wheat production  for the last five years. The current year's production is higher by 6.10 million tonnes (6.61 per cent) compared to wheat production of 92.29 million tonnes achieved during 2015-16.

Production of coarse cereals, estimated at a new record level of 44.19 million tones, is higher than the average production by 2.85 million tonnes (6.88 per cent). It is 0.79 million tonnes (1.82 per cent) higher than the previous record production of 43.40 million tonnes achieved during 2010-11.

Current year's production is also higher by 5.67 million tonnes (14.72 per cent) compared to the production of 38.52 million tonnes achieved during 2015-16.        

A significant increase in the area coverage and productivity of all major pulses helped total production of pulses during 2016-17 is hit a estimated 22.95 million tones, which is higher by 3.70 million tonnes (19.22 per cent) than the previous record production of 19.25 million tonnes achieved during 2013-14. Pulses production during 2016-17 is also higher by 5.32 million tonnes (30.16 per cent) compared to the five-year average production. Current year's production is higher by 6.61 million tonnes (40.41 per cent) than the previous year's production of 16.35 million tonnes.

With an increase of 6.85 million tonnes (27.11 per cent) over the previous year, total oilseeds production in the country is estimated at 32.10 million tonnes. Oilseed production during 2016-17 is also higher by 2.84 million tonnes (9.72 per cent) than the five-year average oilseeds production.

Sugarcane production is estimated at 306.72 million tones, which is lower by 41.73 million tonnes (-11.98 per cent) than the last year's production of 348.45 million tonnes.

Despite lower area coverage during 2016-17, higher productivity of cotton has resulted in higher production of 33.09 million bales (of 170 kg each), which is an increase of 10.29 per cent compared to 30.01 million bales produced during 2015-16.

Production of jute and mesta estimated at 10.60 million bales (of 180 kg each) is marginally higher (0.73 per cent) than the production of 10.52 million bales during last year.