Govt revises upwards wheat output to record 112.92 mn tonne for 2023-24

The government has revised upwards wheat production at record 112.92 million tonne for the 2023-24 crop year (July-June) in its third estimate.

The output, which has been revised upwards by 0.91 million tonne from the second estimate, is also higher than the previous record high of 110.55 million tonne achieved in the 2022-23 crop year, the agriculture ministry said on Tuesday.

Wheat, the main rabi (winter) crop, has been harvested and over 26 million tonne has already been procured by the central government at minimum support price.

In its third estimate, the agriculture ministry has projected increase in rice output to 136.7 million tonne for 2023-24 from 135.75 million tonne in the previous crop year.
 

However, the total foodgrain output is estimated slightly lower at 328.85 million tonne as compared to the level achieved in 2022-23 but higher by 21.1 million tonne from the last five years' average of 307.75 million tonne.

Among pulses, tur output is pegged higher at 3.38 million tonne from last year's 3.31 million tonne. Lentil output is estimated at 1.75 million tonne as compared with 1.55 million tonne in the previous year.

In case of oilseeds, soybean production is estimated at 13.05 million tonne and rapemustard seed at 13.16 million tonne.

Among cash crops, cotton output is estimated at 32.52 million bales (of 170 kg each) and production of sugarcane is pegged at 442.52 million tonne for 2023-24 crop year.