Maharashtra expects 40% increase in food production this year

The foodgrain production was 104.39 lakh metric tonnes during 2012-13 and 127.30 lakh metric tonnes during 2011-12. Sudhirkumar Goel,principal secretary,agriculture department,said the production during 2013-14 would be above 155 lakh metric tonnes.

“The production will be 49 per cent higher from last year.”

On July 9 this year,sowing had been completed on 99.401 lakh hectares as against 38.98 lakh hectares on July 6,2011,and 66 lakh hectares on July 9 last year.

Agriculture commissioner Umakant Dangat said cotton-growing Vidarbha and rice-growing Konkan had received good rain. Paddy-sowing has already been completed in Kolhapur,Pune and Konkan.

However,sowing in Marathwada is yet to pick up as all six districts in the region —Osmanabad,Beed,Latur,Jalna,Aurangabad and Nanded — have received below-average rain.

The state has already received 144 per cent of average rain for July. Of the 358 talukas,277 had received more than 100 per cent of average rain till July 10,18 talukas had received less than 75 per cent and 60 talukas between 75 and 100 per cent.