Kharif rice production to reach record high of 119.93 million tonnes, says agriculture ministry

Overall, the kharif foodgrain production is estimated to reach 164.70 million tonne, 5.73 per cent higher than last year’s 155.77 million tonne.

The record production of rice comes when the government’s granaries are full. According to Food Corporation of India data, as of October 1, the rice stock in the Central pool stood at 31.06 million tonne, much higher than the required buffer of 10.25 million tonne. It would rise further if the unmilled paddy is included.

According to the data, the increase in rice production is due to higher area under paddy in UP, MP, West Bengal, Haryana, Jharkhand, Bihar and Chhattisgarh, with farmers planting more than last year. Rainfall over the country as a whole during the 2024 southwest monsoon season (June- September) was 108% of its long period average (LPA).

As of September 29, the Ministry data showed, the area under paddy was reported at 41.45 million hectare, 2.47 per cent higher than last year and 3.2 per cent more than the normal area (40.15 million hectare during five years from 2018-19 to 2022-23).

Pulses, on the other hand, will see a dip despite an increase in sowing area from last year’s 11.93 million hectare to 12.8 million hectare this year. This year’s total production of kharif pulses (tur, urad, moong, etc) is pegged at 6.95 million tonne. It was 6.97 million tonne in the same season last year.

Among coarse cereals, maize and jowar are estimated at 24.54 million tonne and 2.2 million tonne, respectively, both higher than last year. Bajra is pegged to be lower at 9.37 million tonne.

The production of sugarcane and cotton, too, has declined.

Digital Crop survey

Meanwhile, in a first, the ministry prepared area estimates using Digital Crop Survey data under the Digital Agriculture Mission, replacing the manual Girdawari system.

The DCS covered all districts of UP, MP, Gujarat, and Odisha in Kharif 2024, leading to “substantial rise in area under rice particularly in Uttar Pradesh”, the Agriculture ministry said.