New Delhi, April 15 - India's rice production during the current crop year ending June is likely to top 94 million metric tons despite heavy rain in the major growing areas of the country, the country's federal farm secretary said Tuesday.
"We have assessed the impact of the rain on the rice grown in the southern provinces and we are confident that overall production will easily exceed 94 million tons, as the impact of the rain has been minimal," said P.K. Mishra. The government had earlier projected an output of above 94 million tons for the year.
India's winter-sown rice crop is forecast at 12.56 million tons this year.
The global market is closely eyeing India's winter rice crop because of worldwide shortage of the commodity.