Chhattisgarh aims to raise foodgrain output by 39% to 10.5 MT in 2018-19

Rice production target set at 9.5 MT, about 8.5% of national output

Chhattisgarh government has set a target to increase foodgrain production by 39 per cent to a record 10.57 million tonne (MT) in 2018-19.

The target aims a staggering increase in output following a severe drought that hit the production in the kharif season 2017-18. As against the target of 8.97 MT, foodgrain production was 7.630 MT last year, with 96 of the 149 tehsils in the state being declared drought-hit.

“The production output has been increased considerably following less production last year and the target for 2018-19 has been set compared to the last year’s output achievement,” R K Chandravanshi, deputy director (agriculture), said.

The kharif crops will be taken in 4.82 million hectares of the area that is slightly higher as compared to the previous area. While the acreage of rice had been decreased marginally to 3.67 million hectares, the output target had been increased by 42 per cent.

Chhattisgarh will be producing 9.54 MT of rice in the kharif season 2018-19. The target set is about 8.5 per cent of the national target for the rice production set at 113 MT.

Known as the rice-bowl of the country, Chhattisgarh has been among country’s five states ranked as a major contribution of rice to the central pool. Despite the severe drought last year, the state contributed 3.2 MT of rice to the central pool.

The state government has designed a plan to enhance the rice productivity. “We will encourage varietal change in rice and encourage early and mid duration suitable hybrid varieties instead of late varieties to promote double cropping,” Chandravanshi said. The government also plans to promote aerobic rice in upland.