New Delhi, Feb 16 (IANS): Record food grains production of 316.06 million tonnes (MT) is estimated, as per the Second Advance Estimates of production of major crops for 2021-22, released by the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ministry on Wednesday.

This is higher by 5.32 million tonnes than production of food grain during 2020-21 and the production during 2021-22 is higher by 25.35 million tonnes than the previous five years' (2016-17 to 2020-21) average production of food grains, a Ministry statement said.

As per the 2nd Advance Estimates, the estimated production of major crops during 2021-22 is: rice: 127.93 MT, wheat: 111.32 MT; nutri/coarse cereals: 49.86 MT, maize: 32.42 MT, pulses: 26.96 MT, tur: 4.00 MT, and gram: 13.12 MT.

Among the oilseeds, the total estimated production is 37.15 MT comprising groundnut: 9.86 MT; soyabean: 13.12 MT, and rapeseed and mustard: 11.46 MT.

The sugarcane production is estimated at 414.04 MT while cotton is estimated at 34.06 million bales (each of 170 kg) and jute and mesta are 9.57 million bales (each of 180 kg).

Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the new record of food grains production in the country is the result of hard work of farmers, efficient research of scientists and farmer-friendly policies of the government.

Total production of rice during 2021-22 is higher by 11.49 MT than the last five years' average production of 116.44 MT, of wheat higher by 7.44 MT than the average production of 103.88 MT, of nutri/coarse cereals higher by 3.28 MT, and of pulses by 3.14 MT than the last five years' average production of 23.82 MT.

Total oilseeds production during 2021-22 is higher by 1.20 MT than the production of 35.95 MT during 2020-21, and higher by 4.46 MT than the average oilseeds production.

Total production of sugarcane in the country during 2021-22 is higher by 40.59 MT than the average production of 373.46 MT, and of cotton by 1.12 million bales than the average production of 32.95 million bales, the release said.