The government projected a record 119.93 metric tonnes of rice production for the 2024-25 kharif season

New Delhi| India’s rice production is likely to reach a record 119.93 million tones (MT) in the Kharif season of 2024-25 due to good monsoon according to the agriculture ministry. The government released the first advance estimate in this regard on Tuesday. This estimate comes amid information about adequate stock in government warehouses. This time, 6.67 million tones more rice is estimated to be produced compared to last year’s kharif season. Harvesting of the main Kharif crop is going on across the country.

Among coarse cereals, maize production is projected to remain at an all-time high of 24.54 metric tons for the 2024-25 kharif season (July – June), up from 22.24 metric tons the previous year. Sorghum production is estimated at 2.19 metric tons, while millet production is likely to decline to 9.37 metric tons.

According to estimates, the total production of coarse grains could decline to 37.81 metric tons compared to 56.93 million tons in the same period a year ago. The ministry believes that the total food grain production for the 2024-25 Kharif season will be 164.70 metric tons, up from 155.76 metric tons in the previous year.

Pulses production is expected to remain almost stable at 6.95 metric tons compared to 6.97 metric tons, while oilseed production is likely to increase from 24.16 metric tons to 25.74 metric tons. India is dependent on imports to meet the domestic shortage of pulses and oilseeds. Sugarcane production in cash crops is projected to decline to 439.93 metric tons from 453.15 metric tons the previous year.

Cotton production is projected to decline to 29.92 million bales (170 kg each) against 32.52 million bales, while jute/mesta production is projected to decline from 9.69 million bales to 8.45 million bales (180 kg each). For the first time, the Ministry prepared area estimates using Digital Crop Survey (DCS) data under the Digital Agriculture Mission in place of the manual Girdawari system. The ministry said the DCS covered all districts of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Odisha in Kharif 2024, “causing substantial growth in the area of rice, especially in Uttar Pradesh”.