Major crop production in India expected to decline

The major crop output is expected to decline by 2.3 per cent in 2012-13, following poor kharif sowing due to weak progress of the south-west monsoon, economic think tank CMIE has said.

 

 "Major crop production is projected to fall by 2.3 per cent in 2012-13. We have revised the magnitude of fall from 0.5 per cent to a steeper 2.3 per cent. A change in base, along with poor kharif sowings have prompted the downward revision," Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy said in monthly report.

 Kharif sowings have dipped by 9.2 per cent to 735 lakh hectares by August 3, it said.

 The poor progress of the south-west monsoon has taken a toll on sowings of all major crops, barring sugarcane.

 Coarse grains and pulses have been the worst affected, with the acreage decreasing by 6 per cent.

 "We project the coarse grain production to decline for the second consecutive year in 2012-13. A fall in acreage will limit the output to 38.5 million tonne," the report said.

 Bajra production is likely to decline by over 20 per cent to 8 million tons as the acreage has fallen by 27 per cent to 46 lakh hectares, following reduced sowings in Rajasthan.

 Pulses output is also expected to decline by 1.3 per cent due to 16.8 per cent decrease in acreage at 72.8 lakh hectares.

 However, the production of arhar and gram is projected to rise due to wider scale of cultivation, CMIE said.

 Cultivation of rice has also been affected by 8.7 per cent due to weak monsoon to 236 lakh hectares by August 3, hence, this is likely to lower the output by 1.9 per cent to 102.3 million tonnes, according to the report.

 Wheat production is estimated to remain stable at levels similar to last year.

 Overall food grain production is expected to fall by 2 per cent due to lower out of both cereals and pulses, it added.