''Crop Production To Rise By 2.6 Pc, Foodgrains 0.9 Pc''

Despite the initial slowdown in sowing due to lower than expected rainfall in June 2007, crop production is likely to rise by 2.6 per cent in FY 08 as against the meagre 0.9 per cent increase this fiscal. However, foodgrain production is projected to grow by a marginal 0.9 per cent to 214-million tonnes in FY 08 as compared with 211.8-million tonnes in FY 07, the Centre for Monitoring of Indian Economy (CMIE) said in its monthly review of the Indian economy here.

The higher growth in crop production largely reflects the recovery in oilseeds production during the year. Its production is projected at 26.9-million tonnes in FY 08, up by 16 per cent as against the 23.3-million tonnes produced in FY 07, the report said. Foodgrains production may show a little improvement due to a marginal increase in rice and wheat production. In FY 08, rice production is projected to see a marginal 0.2 per cent increase over last year''s 91-million tonnes while wheat production is projected to go up to 74.2-million tonnes in FY 07.