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Govt says rabi agri-output may fall this year
New Delhi, Jan 31: Close on the heels of fall in the drought-hit kharif production, government today said India`s agri-output in the current rabi season is also likely to be lower than that in the same season last year.
New Delhi, Jan 31: Close on the heels of fall in the drought-hit kharif production, government today said India's agri-output in the current rabi season is also likely to be lower than that in the same season last year.
"I will not hazard a guess about the likely quantity produced in the rabi season but for both grains and oilseeds it will be lower even though the current spell of rains is good for crops," agriculture secretary Mohan Kanda said here.
Speaking on the sidelines of an official function here, he said, it will be one of the rare years when rabi output will be higher than that of kharif but in the rabi-to-rabi comparison it will be lower than the previous rabi output of 99 and 7.5 million tonnes grains and oilseeds respectively. In the case of mustard and other oilseeds, the production will "by and large" fall due to lack of rains in the sowing period and excessive cold for most part of this month, he said.
However, the ongoing rains are good for the wheat crop and showers will be undesirable only after February 15 when they could damage the crop.
Official sources said against the average wheat acreage in the previous years of 26.7 million hectares and 25 million hectares last year, the area covered so far this season in only 25 million hectares. This could lead to fall in wheat output to 70 million tonne from 71.4 million tonne last year. Sources said overall grain output is pegged at anywhere between 188-190 million tonnes this year including 91 million tonnes in the kharif season but exact figures are yet to arrive for the rabi season.
They said oilseeds output will also be lower and in rabi season alone the production could fall to 70 lakh tonnes from 75 lakh tonne in the same season last year.
Bureau Report
Speaking on the sidelines of an official function here, he said, it will be one of the rare years when rabi output will be higher than that of kharif but in the rabi-to-rabi comparison it will be lower than the previous rabi output of 99 and 7.5 million tonnes grains and oilseeds respectively. In the case of mustard and other oilseeds, the production will "by and large" fall due to lack of rains in the sowing period and excessive cold for most part of this month, he said.
However, the ongoing rains are good for the wheat crop and showers will be undesirable only after February 15 when they could damage the crop.
Official sources said against the average wheat acreage in the previous years of 26.7 million hectares and 25 million hectares last year, the area covered so far this season in only 25 million hectares. This could lead to fall in wheat output to 70 million tonne from 71.4 million tonne last year. Sources said overall grain output is pegged at anywhere between 188-190 million tonnes this year including 91 million tonnes in the kharif season but exact figures are yet to arrive for the rabi season.
They said oilseeds output will also be lower and in rabi season alone the production could fall to 70 lakh tonnes from 75 lakh tonne in the same season last year.
Bureau Report