Poor rains: Food grains production may drop by 15 million tonnes

NEW DELHI: Deficient rain in 64% area of the country is likely to bring down food grains production by 15 million tonnes this year. The maximum damage is likely to be on coarse grains as areas growing bajra, sorghum, maize and ragi are witnessing heavy rainfall deficit. The country is set to produce record 257.44 millon tonnes of food grains in 2011-12.

“Situation is alarming. The food grains output is likely to be down by around 15 million tonnes. I am not much concerned about rice production but dip pulses production would be a great problem,” said Ashok Gulati, chairman, commission for agricultural costs and prices. He said that the drop in pulses production will flare up global prices of pulses as the market for pulses is thin.

“We will then have to import pulses in huge quantity. Since pulses producing countries are limited, the prices of pulses will go up. It will increase our import bill. Last year we paid around Rs 55,000 crore in importing pulses and oilseeds,” he said.

The government is also concerned about scanty rainfall in the country, particularly in six states like Rajasthan, Karnataka, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab and Maharashtra.

“There is some cause of concern in crop coverage and deficient ranfall in Karnataka, pasrt of Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Kutch region and west Rajasthan. Punjab and Haryana have also received scanty rains but sowing progress is good in these states. Situation will improve with rains happening in next couple of days in these regions,” said agriculture secretary Ashish Bahuguna, after holding a review meeting with officials of these six states.

He said that there is still time for sowing and the shortfall could be made up if rains are good in the next month. “There is sufficient supply of seeds in these states for late sowing. Farmers have been advised to shift to short duration crops in Karnataka and Maharashtra.

If rains don’t happen by the need of this month, we may lose some crop area in few states,” he said.