NEW DELHI, 16 October 2020: India's foodgrains production is pegged at record 144.52 million tonnes (MT) in the 2020-21 kharif season notwithstanding COVID-19 crisis, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said at a CII's India - International Food & Agri Week on Friday.
During 2019-20 kharif season, foodgrain production was recorded at 143.38 million tonnes. Currently, harvesting of kharif crops is underway, the minister added.
The minister also said that production of cash crops such as sugarcane and cotton is also expected to be good. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a record increase in area sown to kharif crops by 4.51 percent to 1,121.75 lakh hectares this year.
Speaking on new farm laws, the minister asserted that farmers are being "misled" about the reforms and reiterated that procurement at minimum support price as well as mandis will continue to function across the country.
Tomar said agriculture is the pillar of the Indian economy and agriculture sector grew 3.4 percent during the first quarter of 2020-21 fiscal even as the total economy showed a decline in the said period.