India Expects Bigger Kharif Harvest

VANCOUVER - Sep 19/07 - SNS -- The Indian government expects this year's kharif or summer pulse harvest to be 16.2% larger than last year's.

Total kharif season pulse output is forecast at 5.51 million metric tons (MT), up from 4.74 million last year. Production of tur or pigeon pea is forecast at 2.7 million MT, versus 2.4 million last year, with output of all other pulses rising from 2.34 to 2.81 million MT

Speaking at this week's National Conference on Agriculture for Rabi Campaign, Dr. P.K. Mishra, Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, said the agricultural situation during the current kharif season appears to be excellent.

There has been increase in the area under pulses, oilseeds and maize. It appears that concerted efforts are showing better outcomes during the current kharif season as was the case during the last rabi season, Mishra said.

However, there is, he argued, no room for complacency on these achievements because the agriculture sector continues to be susceptible to spatial and temporal climatic aberrations. Furthermore, there is a need to focus on enhancing income of farmers and making farming activity more viable.

Subscribers can read the full text of the article by Clicking here