NEW DELHI –India's foodgrains output is set to rise to a record 235.88 million metric tons this crop year, according to government estimates, a figure which is likely to pave the way to lifting the export ban on wheat and common rice varieties.
Citing the government's latest crop estimates, Farm Minister Sharad Pawar said wheat output during the year through June is likely to rise to 84.27 million tons from 80.8 million tons last year, while rice output will increase to 94.11 million tons from 89.09 million tons over the same period.
"The government should now give serious thought about storage, allocation to states and export of rice and wheat," Mr. Pawar told a news conference.
India imposed a ban on the export of wheat and common grades of rice three years ago to curb prices, and since then the government's grain stocks have swelled to more than double its requirement.
Consequently, state-run warehouses ran out of space last year and the government was forced to store some of the grain in the open. The storage crunch may worsen this year because of the record output. The government is expected to make a decision next month on lifting the export ban on wheat and common rice grades.
According to the latest estimate, oilseed output during this period will be 30.25 million tons, up from 24.88 million tons a year earlier, while sugarcane output is expected to rise to 340.54 million tons from 292.30 million tons a year earlier.
Output of pulses including lentils is expected to rise to 17.29 million tons from 14.66 million tons last year.
A higher crop output will help the government contain food inflation, which has remained a worry despite prices easing in recent weeks.
"The government is taking all possible measures to control food inflation, but the success of these measures depend largely on production of food grains and other farm commodities," the farm minister said.
Food inflation in India may have eased to around 8% at the end of March, and a good winter-sown crop will help cool prices further, Abhijit Sen, a member of the Planning Commission, a top government think tank, said Monday.
The year-on-year inflation rate for food articles fell to 9.50% in the week ended March 19 from 10.05% a week before, government data showed, but still remains uncomfortably high.
Citing the government's latest crop estimates, Farm Minister Sharad Pawar said wheat output during the year through June is likely to rise to 84.27 million tons from 80.8 million tons last year, while rice output will increase to 94.11 million tons from 89.09 million tons over the same period.
"The government should now give serious thought about storage, allocation to states and export of rice and wheat," Mr. Pawar told a news conference.
India imposed a ban on the export of wheat and common grades of rice three years ago to curb prices, and since then the government's grain stocks have swelled to more than double its requirement.
Consequently, state-run warehouses ran out of space last year and the government was forced to store some of the grain in the open. The storage crunch may worsen this year because of the record output. The government is expected to make a decision next month on lifting the export ban on wheat and common rice grades.
According to the latest estimate, oilseed output during this period will be 30.25 million tons, up from 24.88 million tons a year earlier, while sugarcane output is expected to rise to 340.54 million tons from 292.30 million tons a year earlier.
Output of pulses including lentils is expected to rise to 17.29 million tons from 14.66 million tons last year.
A higher crop output will help the government contain food inflation, which has remained a worry despite prices easing in recent weeks.
"The government is taking all possible measures to control food inflation, but the success of these measures depend largely on production of food grains and other farm commodities," the farm minister said.
Food inflation in India may have eased to around 8% at the end of March, and a good winter-sown crop will help cool prices further, Abhijit Sen, a member of the Planning Commission, a top government think tank, said Monday.
The year-on-year inflation rate for food articles fell to 9.50% in the week ended March 19 from 10.05% a week before, government data showed, but still remains uncomfortably high.
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