Union Agriculture Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said the country's foodgrain production in the Kharif season is likely to surpass the previous record of 212 million tonnes in 2001-02.
"We will cross more than 212 million tonnes...we have factored this from data from all over the country," Singh told reporters in Bangalore.
The country's foodgrain production had slumped to 182.6 million tonnes last fiscal due to the severe drought conditions in several states, he said.
Director general of Indian Council for Agriculture Research, Dr Mangala Rai, said the oilseed production would also go up this year, after subdued production due to drought in the last three years.
"Of the 36 sub-divisions in the country, the data from 30 divisions show that production is normal or more, and about five divisions show average production," Rai said.
The Indian oilseed production had shot up from 10.5 million tonnes to upto 25 million tonnes in the last decade, Rai added.
"The good rains and the data available show that oilseeds and pulse production will also go up," he said.
As part of the preparations with the commerce ministry for the World Trade Organisation talks in September at Cancun, Singh said India, which has support from 75 countries, has categorically stated, "We will be ready for talks on market access, if the United States and Europe reduce the domestic support price and export subsidies for their farm products."
© 2026