India's foodgrain output from kharif crop likely to drop 3%

Govt estimates suggest summer crop output to slip to 134.67 million tonnes, mainly on account of lower rice output

The country’s foodgrain production from summer-sown crops in 2017-18 was likely to fall 2.8 per cent from a year ago to 134.67 million tonnes, mainly on account of lower rice output, the government said on Monday.

Production of summer-sown rice is estimated to fall 2 per cent to 94.48 million tonnes, while that of pulses could drop 7.5 per cent to 8.71 million tonnes, the government said in a statement.

Also, cotton output could fall to 32.27 million bales from 33 million bales a year ago, despite a rise in the crop area.