Lok Sabha Question No. 550 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-25
Subject: Production of Foodgrains
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Kirit Premjibhai Solanki, Nalin Kumar Kateel

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 550

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 25 TH   JUNE, 2019

## PRODUCTION OF FOODGRAINS

550.    DR. (PROF.) KIRIT PREMJIBHAI  SOLANKI: SHRI  NALIN  KUMAR KATEEL:

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

- (a) the  present  status  of  total  foodgrain production (in million tonnes) in the country along with the total production of various pulses, cereals and rice;
- (b) the  details  of  the  estimated  rate  of  growth  of  the  Agriculture  Sector during  the current year;
- (c) whether    it  is  true  that  the    foodgrain  output  may  decline  or  has  declined  during  the Kharif season this year and if so, the reasons therefor; and
- (d) the steps taken by the Government to increase the foodgrain output to mitigate the crisis out  of  the  shortage  of  pulses  and  other  foodgrains  and  to  boost  the  growth  rate  of  the agriculture sector?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a): As  per  the  Third  Advance  Estimate  for  the  year  2018-19,  the  production  of  major foodgrains including rice, cereals and pulses are given as under:

| Crops            |   Production (in million tonnes) |
|------------------|----------------------------------|
| Rice             |                           115.63 |
| Wheat            |                           101.2  |
| Maize            |                            27.82 |
| Total Cereals    |                           260.15 |
| Tur              |                             3.5  |
| Gram             |                            10.09 |
| Urad             |                             3.21 |
| Moong            |                             2.37 |
| Total Pulses     |                            23.22 |
| Total Foodgrains |                           283.37 |

(b): As  per  the  Advance  Release  Calendar  of  the  Ministry  of  Statistics  and  Programme Implementation,  the  first  advance  estimate  of  Gross  Value  Addition  (GVA)  of  the  Agriculture Sector in a financial year (April-March) is normally released during January. Therefore, it is too early to arrive at an assessment of rate of growth of the Agriculture Sector during the current year i.e. 2019-20.

(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 output during the kharif season for the year 2019-20. As per the Third Advance Estimate, kharif foodgrain production in the country during 2018-19 is estimated at a record of 142.75 million tonnes.

(d): In order to increase production and productivity of foodgrains including pulses, Government  has  been  implementing  various  schemes  viz.  National  Food  Security  Mission (NFSM), Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India (BGREI), Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme, Neem Coated Urea, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana  (PMKSY),  National  Agriculture  Market  Scheme  (e-NAM),  Pradhan  Mantri  Fasal  Bima Yojana (PMFBY), Interest Subvention Scheme etc.

The  Government  is  aiming  to  reorient  the  agriculture  sector  policies  by  focusing  on income centric approaches rather than pure production centric approach. Also, giving a major boost for the farmers' income, Government has substantially increased Minimum Support Prices (MSPs)  for  all  mandated  crops  assuring  a  minimum  return  of  50%  over  all-India  weighted average cost of production.

Recently,  the  Government  has  started  the  Pradhan  Mantri  Kisan  Samman  Nidhi  (PMKISAN) Scheme to provide income support to all farmer families across the country, subject to certain  exclusions  relating  to  higher  income  groups.  The  scheme  provides  a  payment  of Rs.6000/- per year to the farmers' families to enable them to take care of expenses related to agriculture and allied activities as well as domestic needs.

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