India produces record pulses in 2012-13;foodgrains output down

New Delhi, Jul 22 The country has achieved a record pulses production of 18.45 million tonnes (MT) in the 2012-13 crop year ended June, while foodgrain output fell by 1.5 per cent to 255.36 MT due to drought in some states last year. The Agriculture Ministry today released the fourth advance estimates of foodgrain production for 2012-13. Pulses output has been revised upward to record 18.45 MT in 2012-13 as compared with 18 MT in the third estimates released in May. Pulses output stood at 17.09 MT in 2011-12. The record pulses production augurs well for the country which is depended on imports to meet the shortfall of around 3-4 MT. Higher supply will reduce imports and also prices. Higher support price prompted farmers to grow pulses. "As per the latest estimates, India has produced 255.36 MT of foodgrains during the 2012-13," an official statement said. The foodgrains output is same as it was in the third estimate, but it is lower than the record 259.29 MT achieved in the 2011-12 crop year (July-June). In foodgrains category, rice production has been revised upward to 104.4 MT from 104.22 MT in the third estimates. However, rice output is lower at 105.3 MT compared with 2011-12. Coarse cereals production estimates has also been revised upward at 40.06 MT in 2012-13 from 39.52 MT in the third estimate, but it is still lower than the previous year's 42.01 MT. However, wheat output has been revised downward to 92.46 MT from 93.62 MT in the third estimate. Production stood at record 94.88 MT in 2011-12. Foodgrains output in 2012-13 is lower than previous year due to poor monsoon in Maharasthra, Karnataka and Rajasthan. However, the production is expected to rebound this year as the country is currently receiving good monsoon and sowing area has exceeded last year's level so far. According to the latest estimate, oilseeds production is pegged at 31 MT in 2012-13, slightly higher than 29.79 MT achieved in the previous year. Among oilseeds, groundnut output fell substantially to 4.74 MT from 6.96 MT last year. A same trend has been seen in sesamum, negerseed and linseed. However, soyabean, mustardseed and sunflower production is estimated to have risen from the previous year's level at 14.67 MT, 7.82 MT and 5,80,000 tonnes, respectively. In 2011-12, the country had produced 12.21 MT of soyabean, 6.6 MT of mustardseed and 5,17,000 tonnes of sunflower. Among cash crops, cotton production is estimated at 34 million bales in 2012-13, lower than the record 35.2 million bales in the previous year. One bale has 170 kg of cotton. Similarly, sugarcane production is estimated lower at 338.9 MT in 2012-13 as against 361 MT last year, mainly due to drought in growing states like Maharashtra. Whereas jute and mesta output is estimated at 11.29 bales as against 11.39 bales in the previous year.