Agriculture sector delivers bumper harvest in FY25
Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Thursday that the country’s total foodgrain production increased to 3,577.32 lakh tonnes, reflecting broad-based gains in cereals, pulses and oilseeds.
Rice production reached an all-time high of 1,501.84 lakh tonnes, rising from 1,378.25 lakh tonnes in the previous year to 123.59 lakh tonnes. Wheat production also set a new record at 1,179.45 lakh tonnes, marking an increase of 46.53 lakh tonnes over 2023-24. Among pulses, moong production increased to 42.44 lakh tonnes, while chickpea production stands at 111.14 lakh tonnes.
Steady increases were also seen in coarse grains. Maize production was pegged at 434.09 lakh tonnes compared to 376.65 lakh tonnes last year, while ‘Shri Anna’ (maize) production reached 185.92 lakh tonnes from 175.72 lakh tonnes. The total production of nutritious and coarse grains is estimated at 639.21 lakh tonnes.
The minister noted a sharp increase in oilseed production, a critical segment for India’s edible oil security. Total oilseed production is estimated at a record high of 429.89 lakh tonnes, up 33.20 lakh tonnes from last year’s 396.69 lakh tonnes.
The increase is driven by soybean (152.68 lakh tonnes) and groundnut (119.42 lakh tonnes) crops, both of which recorded double-digit increases over last season. In his statement, the Minister said that rapeseed and mustard production was estimated at 126.67 lakh tonnes. Sugarcane production in cash crops stands at a significant 4,546.11 lakh tonnes, supported by expansion of acreage in key states. Cotton production is estimated at 297.24 lakh bales (170 kg each), while jute and mesta production is estimated at 88.02 lakh bales (180 kg each).
