Crop production decreases in Guj, hints socio-economic review

The socio-economic review of Gujarat for 2018-19 has indicated a significant decrease in the production of foodgrains, cotton and oilseeds during the previous fiscal with weak monsoon being stated as one of the reasons.

"As the state received a total 638 mm of average rainfall, that is just 76.73 per cent of the annual average rainfall in the state," as per the survey tabled in the Legislative Assembly Tuesday.

Production of foodgrains during 2018-19 is estimated at 66.91 lakh tonnes compared to 76.61 lakh tonnes of last year, which shows a reduction of 9.7 lakh tonnes in one year, as per the data.

As per the review, there was a sharp decrease in the the production of oilseeds.

"The production of oilseeds was estimated at 35.10 lakh tonnes during the year 2018-19 against the production of 61.43 lakh tonnes during the year 2017-18, which is a dip of 26.33 lakh tonnes in one year," it stated.

As per the review, Gujarat is the largest producer of cotton, groundnut, condiments and spices in the country.

However, groundnut production was almost half in the last fiscal as compared to its previous year.

While the production of groundnut was 40.66 lakh tonnes in 2017-18, it came down to just 20.36 lakh tonnes in 2018-19, as per the data.

Similarly, cotton production was also hit during the last fiscal.

"During the year 2017-18, the production of cotton bales, each of 170 kg, was 101.13 lakh bales, which decreased to 50.53 lakh bales during 2018-19," as per the survey.