Indian farmers are expected to harvest a record 150.50 million tonnes of grains from summer-sown crops in the crop year to June 2022, the government said on Tuesday, against 149.56 million tonnes gathered in the previous year.
In 2021/22, the output of summer-sown rice is estimated at a record 107.04 million tonnes, up from 104.41 million tonnes in 2020/21, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare said in a statement.
Higher rice output will help India, the world’s biggest exporter of the grain, boost the staple’s shipments.
India looks likely to account for as much as 45% of global rice exports in 2021 as expanded port-handling capacity allows the world’s biggest rice grower after China to ship record volumes to buyers across Africa and Asia.
Indian farmers are likely to harvest 21.24 million tonnes of corn, unchanged from the previous year.
Oilseed output, however, is expected to drop to 23.4 million tonnes against 24 million tonnes.
Production of peanuts is expected at 8.2 million tonnes against 8.5 million tonnes produced in the previous year.
Soybean output is seen at 12.7 million tonnes, down from 12.9 million tonnes in the 2020/21 crop year.
Lower oilseeds output raise cut India’s dependence on expensive vegetable oil imports. India is the world’s biggest importer of edible oils, one of the top five imported goods.
New Delhi, which spends $8-$10 billion a year on edible oils imports, buys palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia and other oils, such as soyoil and sunflower oil, from Argentina, Brazil, Ukraine and Russia.
Production of protein-rich pulse, or lentils, is estimated at 9.45 million tonnes, up from 8.69 million tonnes.
Cotton output could rise to 36.2 million bales of 170 kg each from 35.3 million.
Cane production in the world’s biggest consumer of sugar is estimated at 419.2 million tonnes, up from 399.2 million tonnes.
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Mayank Bhardwaj Editing by Marguerita Choy)