Farm production could fall by 15-20 percent, Mukherjee

New Delhi, Aug 27 (ANI): Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee predicted on Thursday that country's farm production in the Kharif season could fall by 15 to 20 per cent due to poor monsoon.

Over 250 districts across 10 states, are facing drought situation due to poor monsoon.

Speaking at Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FICCI) Mukherjee said, "For impact of production on the Kharif crop, exact quantum will be known only when the harvesting starts. But from the picture of sowing, one can easily estimate that there is likelihood of a shortfall to the extent of 15-20 per cent."

He added, "We have certain areas of concern like drought, inflationary pressure, government borrowing and its consequences on long term funding of corporate sector."

Earlier Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar had said the rice production could fall by 10 million tonnes in Kharif season.

During the last monsoon season country's food basket was filled with 117.7 million tonnes of food grains. (ANI)