Ministry of Agriculture Reveals First Advance Estimates of Major Kharif Crop Production for 2023-24
In a significant development for the agricultural sector, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has officially unveiled the First Advance Estimates of production for major Kharif crops in the 2023-24 season. These estimates have been meticulously compiled using data provided by states and cross-verified with information from diverse sources, including reports from the Crop Weather Watch Group (CWWG), remote sensing data, econometric modeling, farmer surveys, and historical crop estimation trends.
As per the First Advance Estimates, here are the anticipated production figures for the major Kharif crops in 2023-24:
Foodgrains: 1485.69 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT)
- Rice: 1063.13 Lakh Metric Tonnes
- Maize: 224.82 Lakh Metric Tonnes
- Tur: 34.21 Lakh Metric Tonnes
- Moong: 14.05 Lakh Metric Tonnes
- Urad: 15.05 Lakh Metric Tonnes
Oilseeds: 215.33 Lakh Metric Tonnes
- Groundnut: 78.29 Lakh Metric Tonnes
- Soybean: 115.28 Lakh Metric Tonnes
Sugarcane: 4347.93 Lakh Metric Tonnes
Cotton: 316.57 Lakh bales (of 170 kg each)
Jute & Mesta: 91.91 Lakh bales (of 180 kg each)
Notable highlights from the First Advance Estimates include an increase in the area under rice, the primary Kharif crop, by approximately 2 lakh hectares compared to the previous year’s final estimate, and around 4.5 lakh hectares over the average rice area. Rice production is also projected to rise by about 1 lakh tonnes compared to the average Kharif Rice production.
In addition, the area under other cereal crops such as Kharif Maize and Jowar is expected to be higher than in the previous year and the average area under these crops. Kharif Maize production is estimated at 224.82 Lakh Metric Tonnes, representing an increase of about 11 Lakh Metric Tonnes over the average production of 213.51 Lakh Metric Tonnes.
For the 2023-24 season, production of Kharif Nutri/coarse cereals is estimated at 351.37 LMT, slightly higher than the average coarse cereals production of 350.91 LMT. Shree Anna production is estimated at 126.55 LMT during 2023-24.
The production of Tur is estimated at 34.21 LMT, similar to the previous year’s production. The area under Urad is estimated at 30.73 lakh hectares, also similar to the last year’s area of 30.98 lakh hectares. However, total Kharif pulses production for 2023-24 is projected to be lower than the previous year due to climatic conditions, with a total estimated production of 71.18 LMT.
The overall production of sugarcane is estimated at 4347.93 LMT, surpassing the average sugarcane production of 4222.55 LMT.
It’s crucial to note that these initial production assessments for the 2023-24 Kharif season are primarily based on the average yield of the last three years and may be subject to change following the receipt of yield estimates based on actual crop cutting experiments. Stay tuned for further updates on this crucial aspect of India’s agricultural landscape.
