New Delhi, Sep 16 (IANS): Production of kharif crops is projected to accelerate by 3.14 percent to 124.05 million tonnes, an official statement said on Wednesday.

The projection was made in the first advance estimates of production of major kharif crops for 2015-16.

Production of the kharif crops, grown in the monsoon season, stood at 120.27 million tonnes as per the first advance estimates for 2014-15.

Rice, a widely eaten food, is estimated to grow by 2.59 million tonnes to 90.61 million tonnes this season, showed the estimates released by the union agriculture ministry.

Coarse cereals are estimated at 27.88 million tonnes which is higher by 0.83 million tonnes as compared to production of 27.05 million tonnes estimated under the first estimates for 2014-15.

Production of pulses, whose shortage the country is presently facing, is likely to go up to 5.56 million tonnes. However, the production of tur dal is estimated to decline by 0.13 million tonnes as compared to the first advance estimates for 2014-15.

Oil seeds are projected at 19.89 million tonnes, a growth of 0.23 million tonnes as compared to production of 19.66 million tonnes estimated during 2014-15.

However, production of sugarcane is estimated to decline by 1.36 million tonnes to 341.43 million tonnes and cotton is likely to record a fall of 1.12 million bales to 33.51 million bales.

Productions of jute and maize are estimated to dip marginally.