India’s kharif rice production is expected to exceed last year’s levels, despite some damage from heavy rains, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Thursday.
Speaking to PTI on the sidelines of a press conference, Chouhan noted that rice sowing has progressed well due to favourable rainfall. Although heavy rains in regions like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have caused some damage, he assured that this would not significantly impact overall production. “Overall, rice production will be better than last year,” Chouhan stated.
Kharif rice, which is harvested around November, constitutes about 70% of India’s total rice production. For the 2023-24 crop year (July-June), the government’s third estimate put kharif rice production at 114.36 million tonnes.
Chouhan reported an increase in total rice acreage by 1.64 million hectares to 41 million hectares as of last week. He also expressed optimism about the overall kharif crop production, despite some damage to oilseed crops such as soybean.
The minister highlighted improved sowing areas for pulses, coarse cereals, and oilseeds compared to the previous year, expecting higher productivity due to the use of better crop varieties.
Earlier, while discussing the achievements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in its first 100 days, Chouhan emphasised the strategy to enhance farm production and farmers’ income through assured procurement at minimum support prices (MSP).
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