India's grain production drops

New Delhi, July 22: India's grain production dropped nearly 4 million tonnes in the last crop year after a record output of nearly 260 million tonnes in the previous period, as per the latest data released on Monday.

The country's grain production, comprising rice, wheat and coarse cereals, amounted to 255.36 million tonnes (mt) in the crop year ended June 30, 2013 against 259.29 million tonnes in the previous season.

The agriculture ministry, which released the fourth advance estimates of grain production, nevertheless hopes for a bumper harvest during the current crop year with sowing now spread over 620 lakh hectares, against 506.21 lakh hectares during the like period of last season.

The estimates indicated a production of 104.40 mt of rice, against 105.31 mt, respectively during the season before.

Similarly, wheat production is estimated at 92.46 mt against 94.88 mt last year and coarse cereals at 40.06 mt against 42.04 mt last year.

In the case of oilseeds, however, there was perceptible increase with 31.01 mt against 29.80 mt last year. Similarly, pulses production was up at 18.45 mt against 17.09 mt last year.

IANS