Foodgrains output dips to 283.37 mn tonne in 2018-19 crop year

India's foodgrains production is estimated to fall marginally to 283.37 million tonne (MT) in the 2018-19 crop year due to fall in pulses and coarse cereals output even as the country harvested record rice and wheat crops, according to government data.

The production of foodgrains (rice, wheat, coarse cereals and pulses) stood at 285.01 MT in the 2017-18 crop year (July-June).

Releasing the third advance estimates of production of major crops for 2018-19, the agriculture ministry said the rice production is estimated at an all-time-high of 115.63 MT during 2018-19, beating the previous record of 112.76 MT achieved in 2017-18 crop year.

Wheat output is also seen at record 101.20 MT, surpassing 99.87 MT in the previous year.

However, production of coarse cereals is estimated to be declined at 43.33 MT from record 46.97 MT in 2017-18 crop year. Pulses output, too, is pegged lower at 23.22 MT from record 25.42 MT.

In non-foodgrains category, oilseeds output is estimated to be flat at 31.42 MT as against 31.45 MT in the previous year.

Cotton production could fall to 27.59 million bales (of 170 kg each) in 2018-19 from 32.80 million bales in the previous year.

Sugarcane production is estimated at record 400.37 MT, up from 379.90 MT in the previous year.

The output of jute and mesta is seen lower at 9.79 million bales (of 180 kg each) from 10.03 million bales.