Speaking at the National Conference on Kharif Strategies, Mr. Pawar said: “The third advance estimate figures [for the crop year July 2010 to June 2011] are available with me, which show an all-time record production of foodgrains at 235.88 million tonnes. Wheat at 84.27 million tonnes and pulses at 17.29 million tonnes are also the highest recorded production ever since 1947.”
Mr. Pawar said the third advance estimates were “the most important one”. The total output stood at 232.07 million tonnes in the second advance estimates released in February. The third advance estimates show an increase of 3.37 million tonnes in wheat over the last year, 6.66 million tonnes in coarse cereals and 2.63 million tonnes in pulses. Thanking the farmers, the States and officials in his department, Mr. Pawar said the strategies for rejuvenating the agriculture sector, aimed at achieving a four per cent growth rate, had borne results and an estimated growth rate of 5.4 per cent was achieved this year.
Earlier, at the conference, Agriculture Commissioner Gurbachan Singh presented strategies to deal with different monsoon scenarios.