Govt scales down 2012-13 wheat output estimate by 2.55%

The government on Monday scaled down the 2012-13 annual wheat production estimate by 2.55 per cent to 92.46 million tonnes (mt) because of bad weather during the crop growing stage in major growing states of Madhya Pradesh and Haryana.

The government’s third advanced estimate, released in May, had pegged the wheat output at 93.62 mt. According to the latest advanced estimate, production of pulses is estimated to be at an all-time high of 18.45 mt in 2012-13 (July- June).  

Pulses production according to the third advanced estimate was 18 mt, while last year, the country produced 17.09 mt of pulses. Officials in the know said a record production of pulses will help in curbing imports and cooling down food inflation.

Overall production of foodgrains, which includes rice apart from wheat and pulses, has dropped by 1.5 per cent to 255.36 mt due to drought in some states last year. Production of oilseeds in 2012-13 is estimated to be 31 mt, almost four per cent more than 2011-12. In the third advanced estimate, oilseeds output was estimated at 30.7 mt.

The foodgrains output is same as it was in the third estimate, but it is lower than the record 259.29 mt achieved in the 2011-12 crop year.

In the foodgrains category, rice production has been revised upward to 104.4 mt from 104.22 mt in the third estimates. However, rice output is lower at 105.3 mt, compared with 2011-12.

Coarse cereals production estimates have also been revised upward to 40.06 mt in 2012-13 from 39.52 mt in the third estimate, but it is still lower than the previous year’s 42.01 mt. Foodgrains output in 2012-13 is lower than the previous year due to a poor monsoon in Maharasthra, Karnataka and Rajasthan.

However, the production is expected to rebound this year as the country is currently receiving good monsoon and sowing area has exceeded last year’s level so far.