'Aiming at record foodgrain output in 2010-11 crop year'

The government is targeting a record 244.5 million tonnes of foodgrains production in the 2010-11 crop year, Parliament was informed today.

India produced a record 234.47 million tonnes of foodgrains in the 2008-09 crop year (July-June). However, production fell to 218.2 million tonnes in the subsequent crop year due to a drought.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Food and Agriculture K V Thomas said the government is targeting the record production of 244.50 million tonnes of foodgrains in 2010-11.

The Agriculture Ministry has fixed the individual production targets for rice and wheat at a record 102 million tonnes and 82 million tonnes, respectively. 

The previous record of 99.18 million tonnes of rice production was achieved in 2008-09, while a record wheat output of 80.71 million tonnes was registered in 2009-10.

"The government is emphasising all major cereals and pulses for increasing the foodgrains production," Thomas said.  

According to the first advance estimates released by the ministry, the country is estimated to have harvested 114.63 million tonnes of foodgrains in the kharif season of the 2010-11 crop year, leaving a shortfall of 130 million tonnes that has to be bridged in the ongoing rabi season if the government's ambitious target is to be met.

The target for pulses production in the 2010-11 crop year has been fixed at 16.5 million tonnes. In addition, the government aims to produce 44 million tonnes of coarse cereals during the crop year.