Lok Sabha Question No. 411 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-19
Subject: Production of Wheat
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: RITI PATHAK

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.411

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  19 TH  JULY, 2016

## PRODUCTION OF WHEAT

## 411.   SHRIMATI RITI PATHAK:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE   ‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं कसान कयाण ½ãâ¨ããè be pleased to state:

- (a) whether a substantial decline has been registered in the production of wheat in the current year in comparison to that of last two years and if so, the details thereof, State-wise; and
- (b) the steps being taken by the Government to encourage the farmers to increase the production of wheat with the help of various agricultural schemes, Minimum Support Price and crop insurance schemes?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF  STATE IN THE  MINISTRY OF  AGRICULTURE AND  FARMERS  WELFARE

‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं कसान कयाण ½ãâ¨ããÊã¾ã  ½ãñâ  Àã·¾ã  ½ãâ¨ããè (  SHRI SUDARSHAN BHAGAT )

- (a):     After  achieving  record  production  of  95.85  million  tonnes  of  wheat  in  2013-14, total production in wheat in the country during 2014-15 declined to 86.53 million tonnes. The decline in production of wheat during 2014-15 has been mainly on account of unseasonal rains/hailstorms during February/March 2015. Despite unfavorable temperature conditions at the time of sowing as well as at the time of flowering of wheat and deficient monsoon rainfall leading to problem of water shortage in reservoirs, total production  of  wheat  in  the  country  is  estimated  at  94.04  million  tonnes  (3 rd Advance Estimates) i.e. an increase of 7.51 million tonnes over the previous year.

The State-wise details of the production of wheat in the country during 2013-14 to 2015-16 are given in Annexure.

- (b): In order to increase production of wheat in the country, the Government of India is implementing through State Governments, several Crop Development Schemes/Programmes  such  as  National  Food  Security  Mission  (NFSM)  -  Wheat, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) etc.

To  achieve  higher  productivity  of  agricultural  crops  including  wheat,  Indian Council  of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)  is  conducting  basic  and  strategic  research relating  to  crop  improvement,  production  and  protection  technologies  suitable  to different  situations  including  development  of  location-specific  varieties/hybrids  and technologies.

Further, to encourage farmers for cultivation of wheat by ensuring remunerative prices,  the  Government  has  increases  Minimum  Support  Price  (MSP)  of  wheat  from Rs.1450/- per quintal during Rabi Marketing Season (RMS), 2015-16 to Rs.1525/- per quintal for RMS, 2016-17.

Annexure Production of Wheat in India during 2013-14 to 2015-16 Production ('000 Tonnes)

| State/ UT        |   2013-14 |   2014-15 |   2015-16* |
|------------------|-----------|-----------|------------|
| 1                |       2   |       3   |        4   |
| Assam            |      40.4 |      28.8 |       38   |
| Bihar            |    4738   |    3987   |     5251.1 |
| Chhatisgarh      |     134   |     135.3 |      136.4 |
| Gujarat          |    4694   |    3059   |     2630   |
| Haryana          |   11800   |   10354   |    11489   |
| Himachal Pradesh |     670.7 |     646.5 |      494.1 |
| Jammu & Kashmir  |     601.9 |     314.3 |      497.4 |
| Jharkhand        |     370.4 |     330.4 |      274.4 |
| Karnataka        |     210   |     261   |      163   |
| Madhya Pradesh   |   12937   |   17103.9 |    15644.1 |
| Maharashtra      |    1602   |    1308   |      718   |
| Punjab           |   17620   |   15050   |    16512   |
| Rajasthan        |    8663.2 |    9823.9 |    10002.7 |
| Uttar Pradesh    |   29890.9 |   22417.4 |    28365   |
| Uttarakhand      |     842.4 |     654.2 |      755   |
| West Bengal      |     927.8 |     939.3 |      945   |
| Others           |     107   |     113.8 |      120.6 |
| All India        |   95849.8 |   86526.6 |    94035.8 |

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