February 7, 2006

India ups 2005/06 grain output estimates
 

India's summer sown crop production is estimated to have risen to 108.1 million tonnes from 103.3 million tonnes a year earlier, a government official said.

Production of winter crops, which will be harvested from later this month, is expected to remain about 101 million tonnes, largely unchanged from last year, he added.

These provisional estimates will be further updated upon input from various state governments.

As per the estimates, wheat production in 2005/06 is likely to increase to 73.1 million tonnes from 72 million tonnes a year earlier.

However, the country's oilseeds production is likely to grow marginally to 26.3 million tonnes from 26.1 million tonnes in the previous year.

Estimates also showed that rapeseed production is likely to fall to 7.6 million tonnes from 8.3 million tonnes a year earlier.

Production of soybeans is expected to increase to 7.9 million tonnes from 7.5 million tonnes.