April 5, 2007

 

India ups 2006/07 wheat output estimate to 73.7 million tonnes
 

 

India Wednesday raised its wheat output estimate for the year to June 2007 to 73.7 million tonnes as against an earlier estimate of 72.5 million tonnes.

 

"Wheat output estimates have been increased because of an increase in acreage and favourable weather conditions," Agriculture Secretary P.K. Mishra told reporters.

 

He said initiatives taken by central and state governments to boost productivity have also yielded results. Official estimates said wheat was grown in more than 27 million hectares of land this year as against a normal acreage of 24-25 million hectares.

 

"Good weather and high returns prompted Indian farmers to plant more wheat leading to a revision in government's estimates," S.S. Singh, principal scientist at state-run Indian Agricultural Research Institute said.

 

India's total food grain output in the 2006/07 crop year ending June is estimated at 211.7 million tonnes, compared with 208.6 million tonnes last year.

 

Rice production is estimated at 91.05 million tonnes, marginally lower than 91.79 million tonnes last year.

 

Oilseeds output in 2006/07 is estimated at 23.2 million tonnes, down from 27.98 million tonnes in the previous crop year.

 

"Oilseeds output has dropped because of unfavourable weather conditions and a shift in major cultivation areas towards other crops," Mishra added.

 

He said the government would provide better seed varieties to farmers and initiate modern agricultural practices to raise oilseeds production in the country.

 

Meanwhile, expressing concern over the drop in India's total oilseeds output, Rajesh Agarwal, spokesman of Soybean Processors Association of India said that although it is very difficult to attain self-sufficiency in oilseeds production, the government's efforts should yield some results in coming years.