Agri-growth not less than 3 pc this year: Abhijit Sen

NEW DELHI: Planning Commission member Abhijit Sen today sounded more optimistic than the PM's Economic Advisory Council with his projection that the agriculture growth would not be less than three per cent this year.

The Prime Minister Economy Advisory Council (PMEAC) has projected a mere two per cent growth in the sector for the current year.

"Considering the first advance agriculture estimates of the current year along with the final estimates of last year, agriculture growth this year should not be less than three per cent," Sen said after releasing a report on food prices compiled by an international agency Oxfam India.

Earlier in August, PMEAC had projected the agriculture production to grow at a lower pace of two per cent in the current year as against 4.5 per cent in 2007-08. The reasons for the slackening projections were higher base and uneven spread of the South-West Monsoon in July.

Noting food production, Sen said as per the first estimates, rice and soybean output is expected to be more, while other cereals lower than last year.

"Overall, agriculture growth during the 11th Plan period would be fairly good at around four per cent," Sen, who is also an agriculture economist, said.

In the last three years, the average agriculture growth has stood at 4.2 per cent and "we will achieve more than the set target of four per cent by the end of the 11th Plan," he noted.

On huge hike in minimum support price (MSP) under UPA government, Sen said MSP was increased at a lower rate by Rs 10 to 20 per quintal by the last government because stocks were high. Whereas now, MSP is increased as stocks are very low.