Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today said 4.5 per cent growth in agriculture is sustainable this year.
"The report of rabi crop indicates that we will be able to maintain the agriculture growth rate at 4.5 per cent this year despite delay in monsoon in some of the states," Pawar told reporters on the sidelines of the seventh annual conference of commodity exchanges organised by Forward Markets Commission (FMC) here today.
Agriculture sector has given very good results in the last three years. Last year, the country has achieved growth rate of 4.5 per cent as against target of 4 per cent, Pawar said.
Denying reports of a slight fall in the wheat sowing acreage, the minister said production is seen higher in 2009.
"The feedback I am getting from the farmers and the agricultural commissioners is that they expect a better crop than last year," he said.
"As per the curshing figures, the sugar output of the country is expected to be lower this year. Delay in monsoon in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka affected sugar cane crop production and recovery," Pawar said, adding that there will no shortage of sugar due to last year's carry forward stocks.
