Country’s foodgrain production may break records, claims Agriculture Secretary Pattanayak

The country’s foodgrain production may surpass this year’s record high of 277.49 million tonne (MT), said Agriculture Secretary SK Pattanayak on Monday, after being enthusted by MET Department’s forecast regarding monsoon.

India’s agriculture and overall economy thrive on Southwest monsoon. Country’s 50 per cent population is dependent on agriculture and about 15 per cent of the GDP comes from agriculture and allied sectors.

"The normal monsoon will boost kharif sowing that will start from June. We expect foodgrain output to surpass this year's record," Pattanayak told a leading news agency.

The normal monsoon forecast bode well for agriculture and the overall economy, he added.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday projected southwest monsoon to be 97 per cent of long period average (LPA), which is normal for the season.

The ongoing 2017-18 crop year will end in June and the agriculture ministry has estimated an overall foodgrain output of 277.49 MT, compared to last year’s 275.11 MT.