Kharif Production May Touch Record 150.5 Million Tonnes In 2020-21 Crop Year

More than adequate monsoon may help food grains output reach 150.5 million tonnes, which would be a record during the current Kharif season (2020-21), according to the first advanced estimates of the crops released by the Agriculture Ministry on Tuesday.

If the food grain production touches the 150.5 million tonnes mark during the ongoing kharif season, it would be helped mainly by an expected output of 107 million tonnes for rice, which too would be a record, a statement issued by the agriculture ministry said.

In the Kharif season of 2020-21 crop year (July-June), the food grain output consisting of rice, pulses, maize, tur and coarse cereals is estimated to be 107 million tonnes, 9.4 million tonnes, 21.2 million tonnes, 4.4 million tonnes and 34 million tonnes respectively.

At the same time, while output of rice is expected to be a record one, production of other food grains is expected to be slightly lower.

Sowing of Kharif (summer) crops like paddy begins with the arrival of the southwest monsoon in the country from the month of June, while the harvesting of Kharif crop begins from October.

As per the advanced estimates data, pulses production is likely to increase to 9.45 million tonnes in the 2021-22 Kharif season from 8.69 million tonnes achieved during the corresponding period of last year.