Food Grain Production declined by 4.66 per cent to 252.68 million tonnes

As per the fourth advance estimate released by Agriculture Ministry on 17 August, the estimated foodgrain production have declined by 4.66 per cent to 252.68 million tonnes (MT) in 2014-15 crop year due to poor monsoon and unseasonal rains.
The estimate includes Wheat, rice, coarse cereals and pulses in the foodgrain basket.
Key Facts for Foodgrain Production 2014-15:

• The estimated foodgrain production for 2014-15 has lower by 12.36 MT to 252.68 MT  as against record production of 265.04 MT achieved in 2013-14.
• Rice output has declined to 104.80 MT as against the record output of 106.65 MT in the previous year.
• Wheat production has fallen to 88.94 MT as against a record 95.85 MT achieved in the previous year.
• Coarse cereals output have declined to 41.75 MT as against 43.29 MT in the previous year.
• Pulses and oilseeds output have dropped to 17.20 MT and 26.68 MT respectively as against 19.25 MT and 32.74 MT achieved in the previous year.
• Cotton output has also declined marginally to 35.48 million bales (of 170 kgs each) from 35.80 million bales in the previous year.
• Jute output too fell to 11.45 million bales (of 180 kg each) from 11.69 million bales in the period under the review.
• Sugarcane output is estimated to have risen to 359.33 MT as against 352.21 MT in the said period last year.

Reason for declined production:
The reason for declined production is due to 12 per cent deficit monsoon in 2014-15 kharif season and unseasonal rains/hailstorms during February-March 2015 that affected rabi season production.
Note: The government releases four advance estimates followed by a final estimate of foodgrain production for each financial year.

Month: Current Affairs - August, 2015