The conference set the national target for total foodgrain production at 3,280 lakh tonnes for 2022-23, compared to the expected production of 3,160 lakh tonnes in 2021-22….reports Asian Lite News
Looking at the record production of foodgrains and oil seeds, the government on Tuesday set the national targets for total foodgrain production at 3,280 lakh tonnes for 2022-23, compared to the expected production of 3,160 lakh tonnes during 2021-22.
“As per second advance estimates (2021-22), total foodgrain production in the country is estimated at 3,160 lakh tonnes, which will be an all-time record. The pulses and oilseeds production will be 269.5 and 371.5 lakh tonnes, respectively.
“As per the third advanced estimates, horticulture production during 2020-21 is 3310.5 lakh tonnes, which is the highest ever for the Indian horticulture sector,” it was informed at the National Conference on Agriculture for Kharif Campaign 2022-23.
The conference set the national target for total foodgrain production at 3,280 lakh tonnes for 2022-23, compared to the expected production of 3,160 lakh tonnes in 2021-22.
“The strategy would be to increase the area through inter-cropping and crop diversification and productivity enhancement through introduction of HYVs and adoption of suitable agronomic practices in the low-yielding regions,” said a top Agriculture Ministry official.
Asserting that the country is maintaining an increasing trend in foodgrain production since 2015-16, Manoj Ahuja, Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, said, “The total foodgrain production increased by 25 per cent in the last six years from 251.54 million tonnes to 316.01 million tonnes. Oilseeds have followed the same trend and have shown a growth of 42 per cent from 25.25 million tonnes in 2015-16 to 37.15 million tonnes in 2021-22.”
Ahuja was making a presentation at the national conference on Agriculture for Kharif Campaign 2022-23.
India’s exports of agricultural products have grown by 19.92 per cent during 2021-22 to touch $50.21 billion (Rs 3,76,575 crore). The commodities such as wheat, other cereals, rice (other than Basmati), soya meal, raw cotton, fresh vegetable, and processed vegetables etc. have registered most positive growths, the presentation data showed.
“We have to accelerate the production and productivity of agriculture and horticulture sectors for ensuring food and nutritional security in the rural areas,” Ahuja said.
Earlier, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar announced that the Centre and states would work together to ensure pesticides and seeds availability to reduce input costs of farmers.
Tomar urged that there should be a strategy to replace urea with nano-urea.
He also declared that the government would continue to lay emphasis on natural and organic farming.
The objective of the conference was to review and assess the crop performance during the preceding crop seasons and fix crop-wise targets for the Kharif season in consultation with the state governments; ensure supply of critical inputs; and facilitate adoption of innovative technologies with a view to enhance production and productivity of crops.