Food grain production in India is set to climb to a record in 2014 plantation area has been expanded in the country, according to Agriculture Ministry
Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said, “Wheat harvest may surpass 100mn metric tonnes in the year ending June this year while rice crop may exceed last year’s 104.4mn tonnes.”
Total grain output, including corn and barley, reached a record of 259.3mn tonnes in the 2011-2012 season, Bloomberg reported the Ministry data showed.
Planting of winter crops increased 5.5 per cent to 61.9mn hectares (152.9mn acres) as of January first week from the same time a year earlier. Area under wheat surged to a record 31.2 million hectares, the data added.
“In all probability we will have highest production of wheat in this season,” Pawar said. “Rice production will definitely be more than last year. We will also have bumper production of pulses, oilseeds and cotton,” he added.
