BackRecord food grain production in a high inflation year
For 2014-15, the government has set a target of producing 261 million tonnes of food grains
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New Delhi: India achieved a record food grain production of 264.77 million tonnes during 2013-14, according to the fourth advanced estimate released on Thursday by the farm ministry. The production numbers show a 3% increase over the 257.13 million tonnes produced during 2012-13. The record production was achieved in all crop categories of food grains that include rice, wheat and pulses.
Rice production is expected at a record 106.54 million tonnes, up from 105.24 million tonnes in 2012-13, while wheat production is expected at a record 95.91 million tonnes, up from 93.51 million tonnes during the previous year. Production of pulses increased from 18.34 million tonnes in 2012-13 to 19.27 during 2013-14.
For 2014-15, the government has set a target of producing 261 million tonnes of food grains.
Ironically, record production during 2013-14 also saw double-digit food inflation coupled with burgeoning food stocks procured by the central government. Flood inflation was as high 15.02% and 16.17% during October and November last year. Data released earlier this week show that food inflation in July was 8.43%, up from 8.14% a month ago.
The central government procures between 25% to 35% of the entire food production in the country to run the targeted public distribution system. On 1 June, the country had food grain stocks amounting to 69.8 million tonnes, more than 26% of the entire food grains produced during 2013-14.
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