Kharif Pulse Output Down 7.7%

NEW DELHI - Sep 25/17 - SNS -- This year's kharif or monsoon season pulse harvest is expected to reach 8.71 million metric tons (MT), down 7.7% from last year's record 9.43 million MT crop, according to the country's first advance estimates for the 2017-18 production campaign.

Production of all food grains is expected to reach 134.67 million MT, down 3.86 million from last year but above the recent five year average of 128.24 million MT.

Rice production is expected to reach 94.48 million MT, down 1.91 million MT from last year's record 96.39 million MT harvest. However, it is higher by 2.59 million MT over the average production of Kharif rice during the last five years.

Total production of coarse cereals in the country has decreased to 31.49 million MT from 32.71 million MT in 2016-17. The maize or corn harvest is expected to be 18.73 million MT, down 520,000 MT from last year and above the recent five year average of 2.15 million MT.

This year's oilseed harvest was pegged at 20.68 million MT, compared to 22.40 million last year, but 690,000 MT above the recent average.

Sugarcane output is estimated at 337.69 million MT, up 30.97 million MT from last year's 306.72 million MT crop. Despite higher area coverage, lower productivity of Cotton has resulted in reduced estimated production of 32.27 million bales (of 170 kg each) as compared to 33.09 million bales during 2016-17. Production of jute and mesta estimated at 10.33 million bales (of 180 kg each) is marginally lower than its production of 10.60 million bales during the last year.