Foodgrain output set to drop due to uneven monsoon rains
Hindustan Times|August 15, 2022
Farmers are racing against the clock to plant key summer crops, which account for nearly half of the country's annual food output, due to a highly uneven monsoon, with the sowing of rice well behind its usual pace.
Zia Haq
Foodgrain output set to drop due to uneven monsoon rains

Acreage under key food crops has been mostly average so far, while the area under rice, the summer staple, has shrunk 12.4% compared to last year's levels, according to official sowing data reviewed by HT. India's foodgrain output is set to dip for the first time after six straight years of record production. A smaller area under rice could cut into harvests amid high cereal prices.

Overall, the area under major kharif crops tracked by the agriculture ministry lags behind last year's levels by 3.7% so far. The area under seven key summer crops stands at 96.3 million hectares, compared to last year's 100.1 million hectares.

Robust harvests are critical this year because of a global food crisis. Plentiful summer harvests help keep a lid on inflation and drive-up rural spending, boosting the wider economy.

This story is from the August 15, 2022 edition of Hindustan Times.

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This story is from the August 15, 2022 edition of Hindustan Times.

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