India achieves record output of wheat, soyabeean, sugarcane, cotton

New Delhi, July 19 (UNI) It appears paradoxical that despite having a record production of wheat at 74.89 million tonnes (MT) during the current crop year, almost 8 MT more than last year, India has been planning to import 5 MT to build the buffer.

India's total food production is also said to be an all time high in 2006-07 at 216.13 MT as per the 4th Advance Estimates of production of major crops officially released by Agriculture Secretary P K Mishra here today.

Country's last year's wheat output was 69.35 MT and the country was forced to go in for import of 5.5 MT of wheat.

The country has also received all time record production of soyabean at 8.86 MT, sugarcane 345.31 MT, maize 14.98 MT and cotton 22.75 million bales each of 170 kg.

However, the rice production stood marginally higher at 92.76 MT as against the production of 91.79 MT last year.

Output of coarse cereals also increased marginally by 0.19 MT at 34.25 MT and pulses up by 0.84 MT at 14.23 MT.

The output of oilseeds is estimated to suffer setback of 4.10 MT at 23.88 MT. The major decrease in production was seen in groundnut and mustard crops as the area was diverted to Bt cotton and wheat respectively.

India is a major importer of edible oils worth around Rs 10,000 crores a year.

According to Mr Mishra the fifth and final estimates of total production of each crop during 2006-07 will be compiled and released in January next year.

UNI