The production of foodgrain in the current kharif season is expected to remain around the last year’s record level of 138.04 million tonnes (MT) on account of good monsoon. As per Agriculture Secretary S K Pattanayak, there is no cause of concern due to floods in some states like Bihar, Assam, Gujarat and Rajasthan.
As per the latest sowing data, rice acreage has gone down in 366.30 lakh hectares of land so far in the 2017-18 kharif season as against 372.03 lakh hectares in the same period last year. Similarly, pulses acreage area is down at 137.61 lakh hectares as against 143.08 lakh hectares. Coarse cereals sowing area have fallen to 180.60 lakh hectares from 183.44 lakh hectares, while oilseeds acreage dipped to 166.80 lakh hectares from 180.81 lakh hectares till September 1, 2017.
Among cash crops, area sown to sugarcane has increased to 49.88 lakh hectares so far this kharif season from 45.64 lakh hectares in the year-ago period. Similarly, cotton acreage has also gone up to 119.88 lakh hectares from 101.72 lakh hectares in the said period.