Govt estimates a record 81.47 MT wheat production in 2010-11

New Delhi, Feb 8 (PTI) India''s wheat production isestimated to touch an all-time high of 81.47 million tonnes in2010-11 crop year.

Quoting the second advance estimates of agriculturalcrops, sources said pulses and cotton production are alsoprojected to set fresh records of 16.51 million tonnes and33.9 million bales, respectively.

The overall foodgrain production is seen at 232.07million tonnes in 2010-11 against 218.2 million tonnes lastyear.

Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar is scheduled to releasethe second advance estimates of agricultural production heretomorrow. The government releases estimates at differentgrowing stages of the crops.

For the government battling high inflation, especially offood items, the estimates are expected to bring in somesolace.

The estimates suggest that rice production is projectedto surge to 94.01 million tonnes against 89.13 million tonneslast crop year.

Sources added that oilseed production is seen at27.85 million tonnes in 2010-11 against 24.92 million tonnesin the previous crop year.

Similarly, the sugarcane production is estimated to riseto 336.7 million tonnes from 277.7 million tonnes in theprevious year.

According to Advance Estimates released by theCentral Statistical Organisation (CSO) yesterday, agricultureand allied activities are likely to grow at 5.4 per cent in2010-11, compared to just 0.4 per cent in 2009-10.