8% drop in kharif crop: NCAER

Kharif foodgrain production during the current year, based on the monsoon position on August 25, could fall short by about 8 per cent from last year's output of 112 million tonnes, according to the National Council of Applied Economic Research.

However, in the event of the monsoon further improving and turning normal by the end of the season, kharif foodgrains output could touch 105.2 million tonnes (4.8 per cent below last year's output) and the rabi foodgrain production about 100.2 million tonnes, the same as in last year, the economic think tank said.