Kharif food grain production estimated at 173.33 million tonnes for 2025-26: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

New Delhi [India], November 26 (ANI): Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday released the first advanced estimates of production of main Kharif crops, according to which a record growth in production of major Kharif crops is expected, with total food grain production estimated to increase by 3.87 million tonnes to 173.33 million tonnes.
A good production of Kharif rice and maize is anticipated. Shivraj Singh stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, continuous positive progress is being made in the agricultural sector, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare said in a release.
The Union Minister further informed that in some areas of the country, excessive rainfall affected crops, but most areas benefited greatly from good monsoon rains, resulting in overall good crop growth. According to the first advance estimates for 2025-26, the Kharif rice production is estimated at 124.504 million tonnes, which is 1.732 million tonnes more than the production of Kharif rice last year. Kharif maize production is estimated at 28.303 million tonnes, 3.495 million tonnes more than the previous year's Kharif maize production.
The Union Agriculture Minister further said that the first advance estimates project total Kharif coarse cereals production at 41.414 million tonnes and total Kharif pulses production at 7.413 million tonnes for 2025-26. Within this, production of tur (arhar) is estimated at 3.597 million tonnes, urad at 1.205 million tonnes, and moong at 1.720 million tonnes. Total Kharif oilseed production in the country is estimated at 27.563 million tonnes for 2025-26. This includes peanut (groundnut) production at 11.093 million tonnes, which is 0.681 million tonnes more than last year, and soybean production estimated at 14.266 million tonnes. Sugarcane production is estimated at 475.614 million tonnes, showing an increase of 21.003 million tonnes compared to last year. Cotton production is estimated at 29.215 million bales (each bale weighing 170 kilograms), and production of Patson and Mesta is estimated at 8.345 million bales (each bale weighing kilogrammes).
These estimates are based on yield trends from previous years, other ground-level inputs, regional observations, and predominantly data received from states. Revisions will be made when actual crop cutting experiment yield data becomes available. (ANI)