India may produce record rice this year, says official

India's rice production in this agriculture year may breach the record output of 96.43 million tonnes in the last year on the back of increased acreage even as floods in some producing areas have hit the kharif crop, a top government official said today.     

"Rice production will surely touch record this year on the back of the areas sown and the overall crop condition as of now, even though floods in some producing regions have hit the crop," Secretary in the Department of Agricultural Research (DARE) Mangala Rai said. 
    
Speaking on the sidelines of a seminar here, he, however, said sufficient rain in September and vigil against pest attacks are key to any further addition to the bumper output.     

He did not mention the quantum of increase in output, saying it is difficult at this stage.      

Rai also said floods in Bihar and Punjab, however, will create a congenial condition for rabi crops. Planting in the next season should be focused upon covering the losses caused during the kharif season, he added.     

Areas under rice and soyabean have risen by over seven per cent in this period.      

However, areas under 10 major crops, including maize, sugarcane, arhar and cotton, have declined by up to 24 per cent during the ongoing kharif season as on August 22.     

Rai said maize production deficit in Bihar, caused by the floods, can also be bridged if farmers use single-cross hybrid (high quality) seeds in a big way, thereby raising the productivity level by about 50 per cent.     

Moreover, the sowing areas under rabi maize in the state are also large, he added.