Centre Forecasts 3.79% Lower Kharif Rice Production At 106.31 Million Tonnes

The latest projections provided on Friday by the Agriculture Ministry indicate that inadequate rainfall in major growing areas will cause the country’s rice production to shrink by 3.79 percent to 106.31 million tonnes in the kharif season of the 2023–24 crop year (July–June).

Rice production was 110.5 million tonnes in the preceding crop year during the same season. Rice is the principal kharif crop, and harvesting is currently underway.

According to the ministry’s first advanced foodgrains production estimate, maize production in the kharif season 2023-24 is expected to be 22.48 million tonnes, down from 23.6 million tonnes last year.

Tur output is predicted to be slightly higher this year, at 3.42 million tonnes, compared to 3.31 million tonnes last year.

Moong production is expected to reach 1.40 million tonnes, down from 1.71 million tons last year.

Oilseed production is expected to fall from 26.15 million tonnes to 21.53 million tonnes.

Groundnut and soybean production are anticipated to be 7.82 million tonnes and 11.52 million tonnes, respectively.

Sugarcane production is predicted to fall to 434.7 million tonnes this year, down from 490.53 million tonnes last year.

Cotton production is predicted to fall to 31.65 million bales (of 170 kg each) from 33.6 million bales, while jute production is expected to fall to 9.19 million bales (of 180 kg each) from 9.39 million bales.

During the kharif season 2023, total foodgrain production is predicted to be 148.56 million tonnes, down from 155.7 million tonnes the previous year.

“It’s important to note that this first production assessment for 2023-24 (Kharif) is largely based on the average yield of the last three years and may undergo a change after receiving the yield estimates based on actual crop cutting experiments”, the ministry said in a statement.

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