Record wheat output likely

The country is expected to produce a record 98.61 million tonnes of wheat, a rabi crop, in 2017-18.

With a record kharif harvest, this should push overall foodgrain production to an all-time high of 279.51 mt, up 1.6 per cent from the 275.11 mt of a year before.

According to the third advance estimate of foodgrain production, issued on Wednesday by the ministry of agriculture, pulses production in 2017-18 is estimated to be 24.51 mt or 5.18 mt more than last year.

Among pulses, chana (chickpea) production is estimated to be 11.16 mt, up from 9.38 mt last year. Urad (black gram) is also expected to be more.

Among oilseeds grown during rabi, production of mustard is expected to be 8.04 mt, up from 7.91 mt last year.

A bumper harvest, with a drop in demand, has pulled almost all rabi crops below their state-mandated Minimum Support Prices (MSPs), a third such season in a row. Most rabi crops prices are 10-20 below their MSP.

Prices of most horticultural items are also much below their cost of production. Production of coarse cereals is estimated to be 44.87 mt or 2.5 per cent more than last year.

Among cash crops, cotton production is estimated to be 34.84 million bales (a bale is 170 kg), up from 32.51 mn last year. Sugarcane production is estimated at 355.1 mt, up from nearly 306.1 mt last year.