New Delhi: Despite deficient rain in Bihar
and Jharkhand, the Agriculture Ministry today said overall
kharif food grains production would not be hampered as acreage
has gone up in other parts of the country.
"It is not going to dent the overall production at all.
Area has increased in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh," Agriculture
Secretary P K Basu said when asked about the probable
impact of the deficient rain in Bihar and Jharkhand.
The secretary pointed out that so far 28 out of 38
districts in Bihar have been declared drought-affected, while
half of Jharkhand (12 of 24 districts) has received scanty
rains.
Bihar and Jharkhand together produced 12.6 million tonnes
of food grains, including rice, wheat, coarse cereals and
pulses, in 2009-10, accounting for about 6 per cent of the
country`s total production.
However, Basu was confident: "It will be a very good
crop this year better than last to last year when there was
bumper crop."
"Half of the central team has already been sent to Bihar
to gauge the situation and the other half would be send there
on Thursday," Basu said, adding that the ministry has not
received any communication from Jharkhand government so far.
The secretary noted that there is still time to undertake
sowing operation during this month if Bihar and Jharkhand get
adequate rainfall.
"We are still hopeful as August is also a peak rainy
month and farmers in Bihar still can undertake sowing of paddy
crops," he said, adding that the states are ready with their
contingency plan.
India`s food grains production declined to 218.2 million
tonnes in 2009-10 crop year (July-June) as against a record
234.47 million tonnes in the previous year owing to severe
drought that affected half of the country.
On the back of good monsoon, the area under coverage for
Kharif crops till August 6 has increased compared with last
Kharif. Paddy acreage has gone up to 24.48 million hectares as
against 22.57 million hectares in the year-ago period.
The sowing area of pulses, coarse cereals, oilseeds,
sugarcane and cotton has also increased.
PTI
