Rice production in 2010 to be more than '09: Pawar

New Delhi, Sep 17: Union Agricultural Minister, Sharad Pawar claimed that despite of inadequate rain in several eastern states of India, the country's rice production in the 2010-11 crop year will be better than 2009-10.

However, Pawar informed that production could be lower than his initial expectation of 100 million tonnes.

"This year (2010), monsoon has been good. Because of deficient rain in West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand, the production of paddy may not be that good as initially I was expecting," stated Pawar.

India"s rice production declined to 89.13 million tonnes in the 2009-10 crop year from a record 99.18 million tonnes in the previous year on account of a severe drought in 2009 that hit almost half of the country.

OneIndia News