Over 7 per cent jump in onion crop, 6 per cent rise in grains estimated

Chennai: Onion production is expected to rise 7 per cent in 2019-20, promising comfort on the price front. Horticulture production for the year may remain flat, though rabi food grain production might be 6 per cent higher.

Onion production is expected to be 24.45 million tonnes, up 7.17 per cent against 22.82 million tonnes in 2018-19, as per the first advance estimate of the Ministry of Agriculture. Higher price of the commodity in recent months led to higher acreage this time. Onion crop has been grown in 12.93 lakh hectares in the 2019-20 crop year (July-June), higher than 12.20 lakh in the previous year.

Potato production, too, is expected to be up by 3.49 per cent to 51.94 million tonnes compared to 50.19 million tonnes in 2018-19. Tomato production may remain almost flat at 19.33 million tonnes against 19.01 million tonnes in 2018-19. Overall, vegetable production is expected to be up by 2.64 per cent.

However, horticulture production may remain almost flat as fruit production is expected to be lower by 2.27 per cent in 2019-20 over 2018-19, mainly due to loss in production of grapes, banana, mango, citrus, papaya and pomegranate.

Rabi food grain production is expected to be 6 per cent higher at 1,527 lakh tonnes against 1,432 lakh tonnes in the previous year on better cereal harvest. However, pulses and oil seeds may see some decline in output, according to the first estimate of National Collateral Mana-gement Services Limited (NCML).

“Bountiful rains received during the monsoon season have boosted the prospects of crop production in the ensuing rabi season. This year is likely to see a record food grain production led by the wheat crop along with corn and jowar.  Oilseeds and pulses may end up lower than the previous year,” said Siraj Chaudhry, MD & CEO, NCML.

Overall cereal production is forecast to increase by 7 per cent in the current rabi season. Wheat production during rabi 2019-20 is estimated at 1,090 lakh tonnes, which is 6.27 per cent higher than last year production of 1,021 lakh tonnes. Production of wheat is expected to increase due to higher acreage, increase in minimum support price, and better yield on the back of prolonged cold waves and winter rainfall in key production states.

Production of rabi paddy is estimated to increase by 5 per cent compared to previous year. Maize production during rabi 2019-20 is estimated to be 89.2 lakh tonnes, which is higher by 8.25 per cent compared to last year. Jowar production during the current rabi season is estimated at 31.2 lakh tonnes as against 20.2 during rabi 2018, up by 35.2 per cent.

Pulses production may see a marginal decline to 144.8 lakh tonnes as against 148 lakh tonnes from the previous year. Production of gram during rabi is estimated at 95.82 lakh tonnes, lower by 5 per cent compared to last year production of 101.3 lakh tonnes.   

Additionally, rabi moong bean crop is estimated to decline by 10 per cent   to 4.62 lakh tonnes in 2019-20 from 5.10 lakh tonnes in the foregoing year due to decline in acreage.

Among oilseeds, mustard production is estimated at 85.79 lakh tonnes, lower by 8.8 per cent against 93.4 lakh tonnes last year. Production of groundnut during rabi will be similar to that of last year.