Record kharif production on the cards

The country is expected to attain a record production in the case of maize, soybean, cotton and sugarcane in the 2007-08 kharif season.

According to the first advance estimates released by the ministry of agriculture, maize production is estimated at 13.07 million tonnes, up 14.3 per cent from the last year's fourth advance estimate of 11.43 million tonnes, pulses output is estimated at 5.51 million tonnes, up 16.2 per cent from the last year's 4.74 million tonnes, soybean production at 9.04 million tonnes is estimated to be 2 per cent higher from the last year's 8.86 million tonnes, while cotton output is projected at 22.94 million bales (1 bale = 170 kg), up by 1.1 per cent from the last year's 22.70 million bales.

Among other important crops, sugarcane production is estimated at a record 345.62 million tonnes, marginally up from the last year's 345.31 million tonnes, groundnut production is estimated to rise by a significant 57.9 per cent to 5.18 million tonnes, while rice production at 80.15 million tonnes is marginally up from 80.11 million tonnes.

Production of jute is estimated at 10.41 million tonnes, up 1.3 per cent from the last year's fourth estimate of 10.28 million tonnes.

"The agricultural situation during the current kharif season appears to be excellent," said Union Agriculture Secretary P K Mishra.