Foodgrains production almost flat at 284.95 MT in 2018-19: Govt data

India's foodgrains production is almost flat at 284.95 million tonnes (MT) in 2018-19 crop year due to fall in pulses and coarse cereals output even as the country harvested record rice as well as wheat crops, according to government data.

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

Releasing the fourth 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 116.42 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 102.19 MT, surpassing 99.87 MT in the previous year.

However, production of coarse cereals is estimated to have declined at 42.95 MT from record 46.97 MT in 2017-18 crop year.

Pulses output, too, is pegged lower at 23.40 MT from record 25.42 MT in the previous year.

In non-foodgrains category, oilseeds output is estimated to rise at 32.25 MT in last year compared 31.45 MT in the preceding year. Cotton production fell to 28.7 million bales (of 170 kg each) in 2018-19 from 32.80 million bales in the previous year.

Sugarcane production is estimated at record 400.15 MT, up from 379.90 MT in the previous year. The output of jute and mesta is seen lower at 9.76 million bales (of 180 kg each) from 10.03 million bales.