India's total food grains production in 2016-17 was estimated at a "record" 273.38 million tonnes, according to its third advance estimates, the Agriculture Ministry said on Tuesday.
It shows increase in the production compared to the second advanced estimates — issued in February – which had projected 271.98 million tonnes for the same agriculture crop year, which start from October.
The ministry called the production numbers "a record" as bumper harvest is expected in food grains such as rice, wheat, coarse cereals, maize, pulses, toor (pigeon pea), and urad (split black gram).
The ministry arrived at these estimates after assessment of production of different crops based on the feedback received from states and its validation using information obtained from other sources.
"As per third advance estimates for 2016-17, total food grain production in the country is estimated at 273.38 million tonnes, 8.34 million tonnes (3.15 per cent) than the previous record production of 265.04 million tonnes achieved during 2013-14," said the release.
"The current year's production is also higher by 16.37 million tonnes (6.37 per cent) than the previous five years' (2011-12 to 2015-16) average production of food grains. The current year's production is significantly higher by 21.81 million tonnes than the last year's food grain production."
Total production of rice is estimated at 109.15 million tonnes, which is higher by 2.5 million tonnes than previous record production of 106.65 million tonnes in 2013-14.
Similarly, the production of wheat, estimated at 97.44 million tonnes, is higher than the previous record production of 95.85 million tonnes in 2013-14.
"Production of coarse cereals estimated at a new record level of 44.39 million tonnes, which is higher than the average production by 3.04 million tonnes. It is higher than the previous record production of 43.40 million tonnes achieved during 2010-11 by 0.99 million tonnes," said the release.
The ministry said that the significant increase in the area coverage and productivity of all major pulses led to total production during 2016-17 to be estimated at 22.40 million tonnes, which is higher by 3.15 million tonnes than the previous record production of 19.25 million tonnes in 2013-14.
"With an increase of 7.27 million tonnes over the previous year, total oilseeds production in the country is estimated at record level of 32.52 million tonnes. It is higher by 0.85 million tonnesAthan the previous record production of 32.75 million tonnes achieved during 2013-14," as per the release.
The ministry said that the higher productivity of cotton has resulted into higher production of 32.58 million bales (of 170 kg each) as compared to 30.01 million bales during 2015-16.
Meanwhile, the production of sugarcane and jute & mesta is estimated to be lower this year.
"Production of sugarcane is estimated at 306.03 million tonnes which is lower by 42.42 million tonnes than the last year's production of 348.45 million tonnes, and of Jute & Mesta estimated at 10.27 million tonnes (of 180 kg each) – marginally lower than their production of 10.52 million bales during the last year.