Agri production likely to be up by 10 pc this year

Even though heavy rain may have damaged crops across the state this year,production of foodgrains is going to be on par with the record output (15 lakh tonnnes) of 2010-11,due to soil moisture that will see the rabi area go up from last year’s 45 to 65 lakh hectares this year.

With this,the total agriculture production will be up by 10 per cent,according to state Agriculture Department.

This year’s rabi area will be 10 lakh hectares more than the average rabi area of 55 lakh hectares. “The kharif foodgrains output is going to be at least one million tonne less this year compared to the normal output of nine million tones. But this time,the rabi output will compensate for it in equal measure,” said Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture) S K Goel.