Latest estimate shows India's foodgrain production to be record high in 2021-22

New Delhi [India], August 16 : The production of foodgrains in India during the 2021-22 season is estimated to be at record 315.72 million tonnes, a rise of by 4.98 million tonnes than harvested during 2020-21, as per the fourth advance estimates of production of major agricultural crops released by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on Wednesday.
In 2021-22, the production is estimated to be higher by 25 million tonnes than the previous five years' (2016-17 to 2020-21) average production.
Among crops, record harvest is expected for rice, maize, gram, pulses, rapeseed and mustard, oilseeds and sugarcane.
Minister Narendra Singh Tomar believes this record production of so many crops is the result of the farmer-friendly policies of the central government coupled with hard work of the farmers and the diligence of the scientists.
As per the latest estimates, rice totalling 130.29 million tonnes is expected, wheat 106.84 million tonnes, nutri / coarse cereals 50.90 million tonnes, maize 33.62 million tonnes, pulses 27.69 million tonnes, tur 4.34 million tonnes, gram 13.75 million tonnes, oilseeds 37.70 million tonnes, groundnut 10.11 million tonnes, soyabean 12.99 million tonnes, rapeseed and mustard 11.75 million tonnes, sugarcane 431.81 million tonnes, cotton 31.20 million bales (each of 170 kg), jute and mesta 10.32 million bales (each of 180 kg).
The total production of rice during 2021-22 is estimated at a record 130.29 million tonnes. It is higher by 13.85 million tonnes than the last five years' average production of 116.44 million tonnes.
Production of wheat during 2021-22 is estimated at 106.84 million tonnes. It is higher by 2.96 million tonnes than the last five years' average wheat production of 103.88 million tonnes.
Total pulses production during 2021-22 is estimated at record 27.69 million tonnes which is higher by 3.87 million tonnes than the last five years' average production of 23.82 million tonnes.
Earlier, many worried that less area under paddy under cultivation this so far this kharif may lead to low production of the foodgrain.
Farmers in India have sown less paddy this Kharif season. Going by the latest acreage data available, the area under paddy cultivation is over 13 per cent lower than the previous season.
Kharif crops are mostly sown during monsoon -June and July, and the produce is harvested during October and November.
As of July 29, farmers have sown paddy across 23.15 million hectares in comparison to 26.70 million hectares in the previous season.
The primary reason for the decline in the sown area is the slow advancement of the monsoon in the month of June and of its uneven spread in July in most parts of the country.
Rice-producing states such as West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana, Odisha, Chattisgarh, Assam, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Haryana, among others saw less sowing. Many of these states also witnessed deficit rainfall this year.
Overall Kharif sowing, however, has been relatively better.
It is just 2 per cent lower than 2021 at 82.34 million hectares. In 2021, total sowing was across 84.16 million hectares, latest Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare data showed.