Poor monsoon in India forces FAO to cut global paddy forecast

NEW DELHI: Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), part of UN, has brought downward revision in the global paddy output projection by 7.8 million tonnes to 724.5 million tonnes for this year primarily due to weak monsoon rains in India.

In April, FAO pegged global paddy production to reach 732.3 million tonnes in the present year. World paddy output last year was pegged at 713 million tonnes (about 476 million tonnes on milled basis).

The global paddy output may touch 724.5 million tonnes (483.1 million tonnes on a milled basis) as against projection in April of 732.3 million tonnes (488.2 million tonnes on a milled basis), said FAO.

A statement from FAO said, “Production forecasts were also reduced for Cambodia, the Chinese Province of Taiwan, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Republic of Korea and Nepal, all of which may see a production drop in 2012.”