MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS,
FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (PROF. K.V. THOMAS)
(a) and (b): Yes, Madam. The crop-wise and State-wise details of rabi production including
the drought affected areas during 2009-10 (2nd advance estimates) is given in the Annexure-I.
(c) and (d): As per the projections made by the Working Group of Planning Commission for the 11th Five Year
Plan and taking into account the initiatives taken by Ministry of Agriculture, during the last two years,
i.e., 2007-08 and 2008-09, the production of foodgrains except pulses has been in excess of the projected
demand. However, due to deficit rainfall and drought conditions in various parts of the country, the
estimated production of pulses and foodgrains during 2009-10 is falling short as compared to projected
demand as per the table below:
(Million Tonnes)
Crop 2009-10
Estimated Projected Production # Demand
Pulses 14.74 18.29
Foodgrains 216.85 224.04
# 2nd Advance Estimates
(e) & (f): Details of estimated excess/shortfall in production of foodgrains and pulses during
kharif and rabi seasons of 2009-10 as compared to 2008-09 are given below:
Production (Million Tonnes)
Crop 2009-10 2008-09 Difference
Kharif Rabi Total Kharif Rabi Total Kharif Rabi Total
Pulses 4.2 10.5 14.7 4.7 9.9 14.6 -0.5 0.6 0.2
Food- grains 99.9 117.0 216.9 118.1 116.3 234.5 -18.3 0.7 -17.6
(g): Despite decline in production of foodgrains, the position of stocks of rice and wheat in the Central
Pool is comfortable. In Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2008-09 and 2009-10, there has been record procurement
of 226.89 lakh tonnes and 253.82 lakh tonnes of wheat in the country. Similarly, there has also been record
procurement of 287.36 lakh tonnes and 336.84 lakh tonnes of rice during Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2007-
08 and 2008-09 respectively. With considerably higher procurement of wheat and rice during the last two
years and estimated procurement of about 260 lakh tonnes of rice in the current year i.e. 2009-10, the
stocks of rice and wheat in the Central Pool are sufficient to meet the requirement of TPDS and other
welfare schemes. There is shortage of production of pulses in the country as compared to their demand.
The gap between demand and supply of pulses is therefore met by import of pulses from different countries
depending upon their availability.
(h): As a result of various measures taken by the Government to increase the production of foodgrains
and reduce the impact of price rise, the retail prices of rice, wheat, groundnut oil, vanaspati had
either remained stable or declined while the prices of Sugar, pulses such as Gram dal, Turdal , Urad
dal, edible oil such as Mustard oil, Potato, Onion had declined in 4 Metros viz. Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkatta
and Chennai over the last 3 months.
(i): State-wise allocation of funds under various schemes of the Department during 2009-10
is given in the Annexure-II.
