The targets were given to state agriculture ministers participated in the kharif conference organised by the Ministry through video-conferencing
Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar asked the states to plan for a total food grain production of 298 million tonnes (mt) for the crop year 2020-21, increasing mainly the output of pulses and coarse cereals.
The targets were given to State Agriculture Ministers and officials who participated in the national kharif conference organised by the Ministry through video-conferencing. The main aim of the National Kharif Conference was to discuss various issues and list out steps in consultation with the states about preparedness for Kharif cultivation in view of the lockdown situation
While the target for rice and wheat for the coming year remains more or less same as 2019-20’s estimated production of 117.47 mt and 106.21 mt respectively, the targets for coarse cereals and pulses go up by nearly 3.5 mt and 2.5 mt, respectively, to 48.7 mt and 25.6 mt, said Agriculture Commissioner SK Malhotra at the conference.
Tomar has said that all states should aim to achieve the Kharif target and doubling of farmers’ income should be taken up in mission mode. Addressing the National Conference on Kharif Crops 2020 through video conference, he assured the states that the Government of India will remove any obstacles that the states are facing.
The minister informed the states that the All India Agri Transport Call Centre has been started to ensure that agriculture is not affected due to the lockdown. He also asked them to use e-NAM extensively. Tomar called upon the states to implement the Union Home Ministry exemptions and relaxations for agriculture sector while ensuring social distancing and social responsibility norms.
Minister of State for Agriculture Parshottam Rupala, while addressing participants of National Conference, said benefits of the PM Fasal Bima Yojana should be explained to the farmers. Rupala said that agriculture and horticulture sectors in our country have become a key driving element for economic development in many states. Besides having record food grains production last year (2018-19), the country has also produced about 313.85 million metric tonne of horticulture produce from an area of about 25.49 million hectare, which accounts for about 13 per cent of the total world production of fruits. India is the second-largest producer of vegetables, after China, he said.
In his address, the MoS (Agriculture) Kailash Choudhary said that in the present situation of climatic change along with change in rainfall pattern, achieving record food grains production of about 285 million tonne in 2018-19 which is further likely to increase to 292 million tonne during 2019-20 is remarkable. “All these were possible due to various technological advancements including varietal improvement as well as dedicated and coordinated efforts of Central and state governments,” he said.
Special Secretaries, Additional Secretary (Agriculture) and senior officers from DAC&FW, ICAR and officers of different state governments participated in the National Conference through video conferencing. An interaction session was also organised with Agriculture Production Commissioners and Principal Secretaries of all the states in five groups to share the achievement, challenges and strategies to be adopted in respective states for increasing area coverage, production and productivity during Kharif season in agriculture sectors.
