India estimates wheat, rice output at new high

The Indian government on Thursday raised its estimate for the production of food grains by 2.1 percent from its previous estimate in February and pegged production at a record high of 330.53 million tonnes. (metric tons).

By issuing the third advance estimate of crops for 2022-23 (July-June), the Ministry of Agriculture raised wheat production to a record high of 112.74 metric tons and rice production to 135.54 metric tons. It also pegged maize (maize) production at a new peak of 35.91 metric tons.

However, it has reduced the production of pulses to 27.5 metric tons with almost all crops, except for moong, which is expected to decline given the damage caused by the rains in March. It also estimated the production of food grains to a new level.

The production of nine oilseeds is also estimated to be higher as well as sugarcane. The ministry also ended the controversy over cotton production by raising the estimate to 343.47 lakh bales even though a section of the industry had fixed it at less than 300 lakh bales.