January 12, 2004

India Anticipates Record Grain and Oilseeds Harvest

The Indian government is expecting an all-time high grains and oilseeds harvest at around 220 million tonnes in 2003-2004.

It also projected an increase in foodgrains' output to 320 million tonnes and that of oilseeds to 46 million tonnes in 2011-12 from 212 and 21.3 million tonnes in 2000-01.

"There will be record crop production of around 220 million tonnes this year. Weather has been highly favourable to agri-production and sowing schedule has been adhered to", India's Agriculture Minister Rajnath Singh said here.

Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Mangla Rai said there will be an all-time record output of both wheat and mustard.

It is difficult to give a figure at this stage, but the next week will be critical and by the end of this month the picture will be clearer, he said, adding the cooler the temperature, the higher the wheat output.

Agriculture Commissioner C D Mayee said an action plan has been devised to double food production by the end of the 11th Five Year Plan by promoting diversification, value addition and expansion of gross cropped area.

He said during the current and next five year plans the growth projection for oilseeds output was 7.25 per cent and the corresponding figures for wheat and rice was 4.08 per cent and 3.66 per cent respectively.

"Accordingly we expect wheat output to rise to 112.5 million tonnes in 2011-12 and 129 million tonnes in case of rice", he added.