Record foodgrain output,but need to produce more: PM

Field Focus: Foodgrain production touches 241 million tonnes in 2010-11 crop year.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today announced a record foodgrain production of 241 million tonnes (MT) in 2010-11. However,he suggested that growth in foodgrain production alone will not be sufficient to contain food inflation without sufficient growth in the agriculture sector comprising horticulture,animal husbandry,dairy and fisheries.

In this context,Prime Minister differentiated the improvement in the production of food grains (cereals and pulses) from the growth in the agriculture sector as a whole and blamed below-target agriculture sector growth in the 11th plan period for unacceptable levels of food price inflation in recent years.

The PM said that while the growth in the foodgrain production has regained the requisite momentum since the sluggish growth during the period of 1997-98 to 2006-07,we cannot be complacent.

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We must note that this is less than the targeted 4 per cent and a consequence has been unacceptable levels of food price inflation, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said today delivering the foundation day lecture on the occasion of 83rd foundation day of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) here.

Earlier,Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar cited the fourth advance estimates of agricultural production to announce that foodgrain production during 2010-11 has reached an all-time high of 241 million tonnes.

The Prime Minister also underlined that the country need nearly two per cent per annum growth in food grain production to meet the projected demand of 281 million tonnes by 2021.

He expressed hope that the 12th Five Year Plan will contain all measures to accelerate the agriculture sector growth to meet future demands. For this purpose he underscored the need for a broad-based,inclusive and sustainable second Green Revolution.

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