The Agriculture Ministry has set foodgrain production target at 147.9 million tonnes (MT) for kharif season 2019-20, with the Indian Meteorological Department forecasting ‘near normal’ monsoon this year. These targets are higher when compared to the actual kharif output for 2018-19, which is 142.24 MT, as per the second advance estimates.
The ministry also expects the production during the 2019-20 rabi season to be tentatively around 143.2 MT. Besides, rice output pegged at 102 MT, while maize production would be around 21.3 MT. The production of coarse cereals will be about 35.8 MT, while that of pulses would be around 10.1 MT.
The output of jowar, bajra and ragi will be 2.1 MT, 9.5 MT and 2.3 MT, respectively. Also, total oil seeds production is likely to be 25.84 MT and the sugarcane output is expected to be 385.50 MT. Cotton output is estimated to be 35.75 million bales (each of 170 kg).