Rabi cereals output in 2019-20 estimated 4.5 pc higher at 134 MT: Report

The production of rabi cereals in 2019-20 is expected to grow 4.52 per cent to 134.23 million tonne compared to the previous year due to good soil moisture following above normal rainfall during the northeast monsoon season (October-December), according to a report.

In 2018-19, the total rabi cereals production stood at 128.43 million tonne, according to National Bulk Handling Corporation's (NBHC) rabi crop estimates.

The area under wheat is likely to increase 12.03 per cent to 33.44 million hectare and production expected to improve by 9.01 per cent to 111.40 million tonne.

However, rabi rice acreage is recorded lower by 23.24 per cent at 2.61 million hectare against 3.40 million hectare last year. Its production is expected to fall significantly by 27.96 per cent to 10.30 million tonne from 14.29 million tonne last year mainly due to marginal shift in farmers' focus to pulses and wheat.

Total coarse cereals production is expected to rise 4.92 per cent to 12.54 million tonne in 2019-20. There is likely to be growth in production of jowar (2.43 million tonne), maize (8.28 million tonne) and barley (1.83 million tonne).

Jowar acreage has improved significantly by 19.12 per cent while the acreages of maize and barley are expected to show a marginal surge of 6.45 per cent and 6.85 per cent, respectively, the report by NBHC added.

Overall, the pulses acreage is expected to increase 1.86 per cent to 15.92 million hectare from 15.63 million hectare last year.

However, the production is expected to decline 2.47 per cent to 15.17 million tonne even as there is a growth in gram acreage and production by 10.14 per cent (10.64 million hectare) and 7.90 per cent (10.93 million tonne), respectively.

Moong acreage is expected to decline significantly by 26.32 per cent to 0.56 million hectare from 0.76 million hectare last year and production is expected to fall 26.38 per cent to 0.38 million tonne from 0.51 million tonne.

Urad acreage is expected to fall 21.44 per cent to 0.74 million hectare from 0.94 million hectare last year and production too is expected to slip 20.17 per cent to 0.56 million tonne.

Overall, the pulses acreage is expected to increase 1.86 per cent to 15.92 million hectare and the production expected to fall 2.47 per cent at 15.17 million tonne.

However, total oilseeds acreage is expected to decline marginally 0.87 per cent to 7.97 million hectare and production expected to dip 7.39 per cent to 10.17 million tonne from 10.98 million tonne last year.

Mustard acreage is expected to decline 0.29 per cent to 6.92 million hectare and production likely to fall 6.92 per cent to 8.69 million tonne from 9.34 million tonne last year.

Groundnut and sunflower production is estimated to be lower by 8.87 per cent (1.12 million tonne) and 39.24 per cent (0.08 million tonne), respectively.