India's wheat output to slide by 3 pc to 106.41 million tonnes in 2021-22

Against an earlier estimate of 111.32 million tonnes projected for the 2021-22 crop year, this is lower by 4.61 percent

The heatwave has marred the wheat production, mainly in Punjab and Haryana, agriculture secretary Manoj Ahuja had said last week.

He had indicated that wheat production could be as low as to 105-106 million tonnes this year.

A marginal fall is expected in cotton and coarse cereals output, according to a third advance estimate of foodgrains production released by the ministry.

Procution of other food grains and cash crops will be higher this year, the estimate showed.

Rice production is estimated to increase to 129.66 million tonnes in the 2021-22 crop year when compared with 124.37 million tonnes in the previous year.

Pulses production is projected to increase to 27.75 million tonnes in 2021-22 from 25.46 million tonnes in 2020-21 crop year.

Production of coarse cereals is expected to decline marginally to 50.70 million tonnes from 51.32 million tonnes in the comparable year.

Despite lower wheat production, the country's overall foodgrain production is estimated to touch a new record at 314.51 million tonnes in 2021-22 compared with 310.74 million tonnes in the previous year.

Oilseeds production is estimated to be a record 38.49 million tonnes in 2021-22 as against 35.94 million tonnes in the previous year.