September 24, 2010

India's monsoon-sown food grain output may increase by 10.4% from last year after farmers planted crops in a larger area, the farm ministry said.

Production of grains sowed at the start of the June to September rainy season may rise to 114.63 million tonnes, from 103.84 million tonnes a year earlier, the farm ministry said in a statement.

The better harvest will not end a ban on shipments of non-Basmati rice and wheat as the government seeks to fulfill an election promise of ensuring food for the poor, Farm Minister Sharad Pawar said.

"We are not ready to take any risk on allowing export of wheat and rice, unless some definite view is taken about food security," Pawar said.

Production of corn may rise to 14.06 million tonnes from 12 million tonnes a year earlier, the farm ministry said. Output of lentils may increase to six million tonnes from 4.3 million tonnes, it said.

Output of monsoon-sown oilseeds may rise to 17.3 million tonnes from 15.7 million tonnes a year earlier, the ministry said. Soy production may drop to 9.8 million tonnes from 10.05 million tonnes a year earlier, it said.