Poor monsoon to negatively effect Kharif output in India

NEW DELHI: The poor rainfall will impact kharif output during this year, said Agriculture Secretary Ashish Bahuguna. Major kharif crops like maize will be worst hit due to weak rainfall.

India harvested record foodgrain output of 257.44 million tonnes during 2011-12 crop year during the July-June period.

Karnataka has become the worst impacted due to the inadequate rainfall. The other Indian states hit by poor rains are Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Reports suggest that rice sowing until now this year has slipped by 10%, coarse cereals by 24%, pulses by 31%, oilseeds by 10% and cotton by 9%.