Foodgrain production at record 279.51 MT in 2017-18: Govt

India is estimated to have harvested a record 279.51 million tonnes (MT) of foodgrains in the 2017-18 crop year ending next month, up 1.6 per cent from the previous year, on good monsoon and higher support price, the government today said.

The country achieved an all-time high production in all four foodgrains -- rice, wheat, coarse cereals and pulses -- during 2017-18 crop year (July-June), according to the third advance estimates released by the agriculture ministry.

"Total foodgrains production in the country is estimated at 279.51 million tonnes which is higher by 4.40 million tonnes than the previous record production of foodgrain of 275.11 million tonnes achieved during 2016-17," an official statement said.

In the second advance estimates released in February this year, the ministry had projected foodgrains production at 277.49 MT tonnes for the current crop year.

The bumper crop has led to a steep fall in prices of some agri-commodities like pulses and sugar causing distress to farmers. The government has started procurement to ensure support price to farmers.

According to the data, rice output is estimated at record 111.52 MT as against 109.7 million tonnes in the 2016-17 fiscal.

The production of wheat during 2017-18 is estimated at record 98.61 MT as against 98.51 MT in the previous year. Coarse cereals output is also seen at record 44.87 MT tonnes as against 43.77 MT achieved during 2016-17.

"Total pulses production during 2017-18 is estimated at record 24.51 MT which is higher by 1.37 MT than the previous year's production of 23.13 MT," the statement said.

In non-foodgrains category, oilseeds production is estimated to have declined to 30.64 MT in 2017-18 from 31.28 MT in the previous year.

With a significant increase by 49.03 MT over 2016-17, total production of sugarcane in the country during 2017-18 is estimated at 355.10 MT.

Production of cotton during 2017-18 is estimated to have increased to 34.86 million bales (of 170 kg each) from 32.58 million bales in the previous year.

Jute and Mesta output is estimated at 10.62 million bales (of 180 kg each), lower than the production achieved during 2016-17.

The government releases four advance crop production estimates before the final one at difference stage between sowing and harvesting period.