Record wheat, foodgrain output likely in 2016-17

Agri growth could top 5% this year on the back of record output

Wheat production in the ongoing crop season is expected to be at an all-time high of 96.6 million tonnes (mt) on the back of good southwest monsoon, favourable weather and record acreage, the second advanced estimate for foodgrain production showed.

The previous wheat production high was in 2013-14 at 95.85 mt; that was also a normal monsoon year. Wheat produced in 2016-17 (July to June) will be marketed in 2017-18 (April to March).

The estimate released on Wednesday also showed that overall foodgrain production, including kharif harvest, in 2016-17 was expected to be a record 271.98 mt, showing that demonetisation didn’t have