New Delhi: India's foodgrain production in 2014-15 is likely to be almost 8 million tonnes (mt) less than the fourth advance estimate for 2013-14. An official statement outlining the second advance estimate figures, which captures output for the Rabi season, pegged foodgrain production at 257.07 million tonnes (mt), against 264.77 mt in the fourth advance estimate.
The 3 per cent dip in production is due to lower production estimates for rice, coarse cereals and pulses. Rice output is estimated at 103 mt, lower by 3.61 mt than last year's record production of 106.65 mt.
Deficient monsoon last year has impacted rabi acreage with data released by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics under the Agriculture Ministry indicating that coverage stood at 605.85 lakh hectares (lh) as on February 6 while it was 644.92 lh during the corresponding period in 2013-14.
The monsoon was recorded 12 per cent deficient during June-September this year.
All crops, barring sugarcane, are expected to post production declines, as rainfall has been deficit in both the south-west (12.3 per cent below long period average) as well as North-East (33 per cent below normal) monsoon seasons.
However, the department said it is unlikely to have any negative inflationary impact.
Within this, the commodities recording higher retail-level inflation include pulses (9.37 per cent), dairy products (9.38 per cent), fruits (10.62 per cent) and vegetables (9 per cent), even as the same is low or negative in cereals, sugar, edible oils, eggs, fish and meat.
Rice production is estimated at 103.04 million tonnes, which is 3.61 million tonnes lower than last year's record output of 106.65 million tonnes.
Production of wheat is estimated at 95.76 million tonnes, marginally lower than the record 95.85 million tonnes during 2013-14.
Output of coarse cereals was at 39.83 million tonnes, a drop of 3.46 million tonnes from the previous year.
