Govt pegs wheat output at 106.21 mt

New Delhi, Feb. 18: India is set to harvest a record 106.21 million tonne wheat in 2019-20 crop year on increase in acreage owing to good rains, according to the latest government data.

Wheat production has been rising year-on-year and the previous record of 103.60 mt was achieved during 2018-19 crop year (July-June).

Wheat is the main rabi (winter) crop, harvesting of which will begin from next month.

Releasing the second estimate of foodgrain production, the agriculture ministry said the cumulative rainfall during the monsoon season was 10 per cent higher than the Long Period Average. Accordingly, production of most of the crops for 2019-20 crop year has been estimated higher than their normal production, it said.

Total foodgrain production is pegged at a record 291.95 mt for 2019-20 crop year, higher than 285.21 mt last year. Of the total production, foodgrain output is estimated to be 142.36 mt from the kharif (summer) season and 149.60 mt from the rabi season of this year.

The foodgrain basket comprises wheat, rice, cereals and pulses.

Rice output is estimated to increase marginally to 117.47 million tonne this year from 116.48 mt last year, while production of cereals is expected to increase to 268.93 mt from 263.14 mt.

Production of pulses is pegged slightly higher at 23.02 mt for this year as against 22.08 mt last year, the data showed.

Oilseeds output is estimated to increase to 34.18 mt from 31.52 mt.

Among cash crops, sugarcane output is estimated to decline to 353.84 mt from 405.41 mt.

Cotton output is estimated to increase to 34.89 mt from 28.04 mt. —PTI