Food production target 2014-15 fixed at 261 mn tonnes

Rice and wheat marginally higher, coarse cereals lag

The government has fixed a conservative estimate of total foodgrain production for the year 2014-15 owing to apprehension of  below normal monsoon.

According to official estimates, food grain production is fixed at 261 million tonnes for 2014-15, marginally higher  than 259 million tonnes ( MT) in the year 2013-14.  While rabi and kharif output combined together, rice and wheat production will be marginally higher, total coarse cereal production is lower  than last year.

Total rice production is pegged at 106 MT in 2014-15 ( 105 Mt last year ) and wheat at 95 Mt as against 92.50 MT. On the other hand, total coarse cereals production is marginally lower at 41.50 MT ( 42.50 MT). Incidentally, both total pulses and oilseeds production for 2014-15 have been estimated to be higher  at 19.50 MT and 33 MT as against 19 MT and 31 MT    last year respectively.

According to estimates of Indian Meteorological Department,  the probability of a normal monsoon is 35 per cent while that of a below normal  monsoon is 33 per cent .  Among major cash crops, total sugarcane production for 2014-15 is estimated at 345 MT as against 340 MT  while cotton production is pegged flat at 35 million bales  and jute lower at 10.50 million bales compared to 11 million bales last year.  One million bales is 170 kg of cotton and 180 kg of jute.

Going by the monsoon condition, the government has also prepared  a detailed contingency plan  for the states to meet different situations arising out of delayed/deficient rainfall, prolonged spells of drought, excess rainfall etc.

Officials said that there is a problem of shortage of soyabean seed  as the availability is lower by about 7 lakh quintals as compared to their requirement. In order to augment availability of soyabean seed, various initiatives have been suggested to create awareness campaign, identification of farm saved seeds, and use of seed planters and dibblers.

As an overall strategy, the planning for Kharif 2014 has to focus on eastern India for cereals, crop diversification in North-Western Region and coverage of higher area under pulses and oilseeds along with adequate administrative and financial back up to farmers

There are proposals of subsidy  to be given to replace old varieties of paddy with hybrid rice, use of farm saved seeds and drum seeder in Uttar Pradesh,  to promote direct seeded rice in Jharkhand, hybrid rice cultivation in Odisha, zero tillage of rice in West Bengal.

More area under millets is one of the main agenda for Kharif 2014. As a plan to cut down loss in production of current Rabi crops due to likely spells of sporadic rains, states have been suggested o ensure that after harvesting the produce is immediately shifted to a warehouse or a protected area. This could be done through proper utilization of rural godown facilities available at primary level cooperative society, promotion of FPOs & PPP model for procurement, pledge loan facilities to farmers by negotiable warehouse receipt at mandi level and availability of godown under state warehousing corporation be made to farmers on priority.