India oilseeds, pulses output jump last fiscal*
India’s oilseeds output rose to 30.25 million tonnes and pulses to 17.5 million tonnes in the last fiscal, according to the Agriculture Ministry. Edible oil imports dropped 15% to 3.5 million tonnes, while pulses imports may fall to 1.5–1.75 million tonnes. With a normal monsoon forecast, 2011–12 targets include 18 million tonnes plus of pulses and 240 million tonnes of foodgrains.
NEW DELHI, June 5 (Commodity Online): India’s oilseeds and pulses output hit 30.25 million tonnes and 17.5 million tonnes respectively in the last fiscal, according to country’s Agriculture ministry. Oilseeds production rose from last year’s 24.88 million tons while pulses output rose from 14.66 million a year ago, said the ministry. With the forecast of a normal monsoon and the timely arrival of rains, India will likely maintain record oilseeds output and increase its pulses crop to cut imports during the crop year beginning July 1, the ministry added. Agriculture secretary PK Basu said “Even if we can maintain the output of oilseeds next year, it will be very good,” the farm secretary said. “For pulses, next year we will aim for a production of 18 million tonnes plus in 2011-12” Following the rise in output, the country’s edible oil imports during November-April decreased 15 per cent to 3.5 million tonnes, while pulses imports may fall to between 1.5 million tonnes and 1.75 million tonnes in the fiscal year started April 1, from 2.75 million tonnes in 2010-11, officials said. India is the world’s largest edible oil importer after China, meeting more than half its requirements through imports.
The country is also the world’s largest buyer of pulses, and meets around a fifth of its annual needs through imports. It is largely self-sufficient in food grain staples such as wheat and rice as well as other food crops such as sugarcane. “Timely arrival of monsoon will facilitate timely sowing, although there are other factors. If all goes well, foodgrain production will cross 240 million tonnes in 2011-12,” Basu said. “Even this year, foodgrain output will be more than the last estimate of a record 235.88 million tonnes.” He said the government is also gearing up to increase foodgrains output, mainly rice, from the eastern region by 20 per cent-30 per cent as the area’s full potential is yet to be tapped.
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Source : Financial Express
