Foodgrain output to be record 250 mn tonne this year

India's foodgrains production, for the second year in a row, is expected to be a record 250.42 million tonne in FY12 crop year, bolstered by a significant contribution from eastern belt, specially Bihar and Jharkhand.

Last year, the country had harvested a record 244.78 million tonne (MT) of foodgrain, that includes rice, wheat and coarse cereals.

"Extra 12-13 MT of rice has come from the eastern belt alone and as a result the overall foodgrains output has touched a record 250.42 MT," Agriculture Secretary P K Basu told reporters here today.

Both rice and wheat production are seen to set fresh records at 88.31 MT and 102.75 MT in 2011-12 crop year (July-June), respectively, he said, after the release of the second advance crop estimate today.

In 2010-11, wheat output was at 86.87 MT and rice production at 95.98 MT.

The record foodgrains production would help the government introduce the Food Security Bill, which aims to provide cheaper grains to the poor. It also means that the government may continue export of rice and wheat for some time considering storage concerns.

Highlighting the performance of the eastern states, Basu said: "Bihar and Jharkhand, known as laggard states in agriculture production and productivity, have outperformed in yields as their rice output has more than doubled to 6.75 MT and 3.3 MT, respectively, this year."

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, on August 15, 2011, had said that a second Green Revolution is needed to increase farm production and control rising food prices, as well as to meet the grain requirement under the proposed Food Law.