Lok Sabha Question No. 641 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-25
Subject: Estimate of Foodgrain Production
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Asaduddin Owaisi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.641

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  25 TH  JUNE, 2019

## ESTIMATE OF FOODGRAIN PRODUCTION

## 641.   SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has recently released estimated foodgrain production in the country for various States of the country during 2019-20;
- (b) if so, the present status of the food grain production and actual production during 201819;
- (c) the main crops in which rise in production has been estimated by the Government as compared to previous years;
- (d) the details of the extent to which record production of foodgrains is commensurate with the    increasing    population    and    demand  of    foodgrains  in    the    country  in  comparison  to 2014-2015; and
- (e) the  steps  taken  or  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  procure  more  foodgrains from farmers in the year of bumper production?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष

एवं कसान कयाण मंी ( SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) to (c): In an agricultural year (July-June), the First Advance Estimate on production of major agricultural crops is normally released during September. Therefore, it is too early to arrive at an assessment of foodgrain production in the country during 2019-20. However, as per  Third  Advance  Estimate  for  the  year  2018-19  released  by  Department  of  Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare on 03.06.2019, the foodgrain production in the country is estimated at 283.37 million tonnes.

Crop-wise production of major foodgrains from 2015-16 to 2018-19 is given as under:

(in million tonnes)

| Crops            |   2015-16 |   2016-17 |   2017-18 |   2018-19* |
|------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|------------|
| Rice             |    104.41 |    109.7  |    112.76 |     115.63 |
| Wheat            |     92.29 |     98.51 |     99.87 |     101.2  |
| Maize            |     22.57 |     25.9  |     28.75 |      27.82 |
| Tur              |      2.56 |      4.87 |      4.29 |       3.5  |
| Gram             |      7.06 |      9.38 |     11.38 |      10.09 |
| Total Foodgrains |    251.54 |    275.11 |    285.01 |     283.37 |

* As per 3 rd Advance Estimate

(d): As  per  the  Working  Group  Report  (February,  2018)  of  NITI  Aayog  on  Demand  & Supply Projections Towards 2033 for Crops, Livestock, Fisheries and Agricultural Inputs, the aggregate demand of foodgrains for 2016-17 and 2020-21 had been projected at 255.41 and 271.53 million tonnes, respectively. Government has taken various measures to increase the production  of  pulses  which  were  earlier  less  than  domestic  demand.  Consequently,  the estimated production of pulses during 2017-18 has increased significantly to a record level of 25.42 million tonnes.

(e): To ensure remunerative prices, procurement is made of the crops for which Minimum Support  Prices  (MSPs)  are  announced  through  Central  and  State  agencies.  In  so  far  as cereals / nutri cereals are concerned, they are procured through Food Corporation of India (FCI)  and  decentralized  procurement  system.  Also,  the  Government  implements  Price Support Scheme (PSS) for procurement of oilseeds, pulses and cotton through Central Nodal Agencies at MSP declared by the Government at the request of the state government.

In  addition,  Government  is  implementing  Market  Intervention  Scheme  (MIS)  for procurement of agricultural and horticultural commodities which are perishable in nature and are not covered under the Price Support Scheme (PSS). The objective of intervention is to protect the growers of these commodities from making distress sale in the event of a bumper crop when the prices tend to fall below economic levels and cost of production.

Further, Umbrella Scheme 'Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PMAASHA)'   provides  for  a  holistic  arrangement  for  assurance  of  a  remunerative  and  stable price  environment for growers / farmers to increase agriculture production and productivity. This umbrella Scheme comprises Price Support Scheme (PSS) for pulses & oilseeds, Price Deficiency  Payment  Scheme  (PDPS)  and  Pilot  of  Private  Procurement  &  Stockist  Scheme (PPSS) for oilseeds to ensure MSP to the farmers.

**********