NEW DELHI: Giving relief to the government, overall foodgrain production is expected to increase marginally by 8.4 million tonne from average output in the past five years at 140.57 million tonnes (mt) in 2019 -20 in the wake of good monsoon.
According to a report by the National Bulk Handling Corporation (NBHC), production of monsoon-sown food grain is expected to be 140.57 mt in 2019-20, up by 8.4 mt from average output in last five years.
The report said rice production is expected to show marginal improvement by 2.80 per cent as farmers have shifted 20-25 per cent of their crop areas from non-basmati rice to basmati in Punjab due to the higher export demand last year.
The reason, it cited was that the monsoons have been normal or excess in 84 per cent of the regions, while the rest of the regions getting insufficient rainfall.“Receding waters in the flood-affected regions of Bihar, Odisha and Karnataka have helped recover the areas under paddy but delayed in sowing, which is likely to lower the yield by 2.58 per cent,” NBHC, head for research and development, Hanish Kumar Sinha said.
Maize acreage is expected to go up, but the output may fall by 5.75 per cent due to the massive armyworm infestation.
Arhar area is expected to rise by 1.69 per cent and the production is expected to rise significantly by 21.27 per cent, while Urad and Moong output is expected to be lower by 0.16 per cent and 17.23 per cent mainly due to flooding of fields in MP, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
Oilseeds outline
Castor is likely to see a rise in production by 21.07 per cent, Soybean production is expected be lower by 17.72 per cent due to heavy rains