The country needs to increase its annual foodgrains production by 1.34 per cent to meet the output target of 280.6 million tonne by 2020-21, Parliament was informed today.
This assessment has been made by the National Centre for Agricultural Economics & Policy Research (NCAP) of agri research body Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Minister of State for Agriculture Charan Das Mahant said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
"Taking into account the current year's estimated production of 250.42 million tonnes of foodgrains, the average annual increase of 1.34% would be required to achieve the production level of 280.6 million tonnes of foodgrains by 2020-21," he said.
To another question, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar replied that the demand for rice and wheat for terminal year of 12th Five-Year Plan (2016-17) is estimated at 110.21 million tonne and 89.06 million tonne, respectively.
He said as per the second advance estimates for 2011-12 against the demand of 98.79 million tonne of rice and 77.36 million tonne of wheat, the production would be at 102.75 million tonne and 88.31 million tonne, respectively, during the year.
Pawar said in order to enhance foodgrains output, a number of crop development schemes and programmes, including National Food Security Mission (NFSM) and Integrated Scheme of Oilseeds, pulses, oil palm and maize (SOPOM), are in operation.
To achieve higher agricultural productivity, ICAR is also conducting basic and strategic research related to crop improvement, production and protection technologies in pulses and other crops, Mahant said.