Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Radha Mohan Singh released the 1st Advance Estimates of production of major Kharif crops for 2016-17.
Kharif crops are usually sown with the beginning of the first rains in July, during the south-west monsoon season.
In India the kharif season varies by crop and state, with kharif starting at the earliest in May and ending at the latest in January, but is popularly considered to start in June and to end in October.
Kharif stand in contrast with the Rabi crops, cultivated during the dry season.
Kharif means “autumn” in Arabic. Since this period coincides with the beginning of autumn / winter in the Indian sub-continent, it is called “Kharif period”.
As per 1st Advance Estimates for 2016-17, total production of Kharif Foodgrains is estimated at 135.03 million tonnes which is a new record.
This year production is higher by 11.02 million tonnes as compared to last year’s Kharif foodgrains production of 124.01 million tonnes.
Further, Kharif foodgrains production is also higher by 7.65 million tonnes than the last five years’ (2010-11 to 2014-15) average production of 127.38 million tonnes.
As per 1st Advance Estimates, the estimated production of major crops during Kharif 2016-17 is as under:
Foodgrains – 135.03 million tonnes (record)
· Rice – 93.88 million tonnes (record)
· Coarse Cereals – 32.45 million tonnes
· Maize – 19.30 million tonnes (record)
· Pulses – 8.70 million tonnes (record)
· Tur – 4.29 million tonnes (record)
· Urad – 2.01 million tonnes (record)
Oilseeds – 23.36 million tonnes
· Soyabean – 14.22 million tonnes
· Groundnut – 6.50 million tonnes
· Castorseed – 1.73 million tonnes
Cotton – 32.12 million bales (of 170 kg each)
Sugarcane – 305.25 million tonnes