The Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today said that country's foodgrains production is expected to fall by nearly 3 per cent at 250 million tonnes in 2012-13 crop year after making up with better prospects in rabi season. Foodgrains production stood at an all-time high of 257.44 million tonnes in 2011-12 crop year ,July-June, on the back of record output of wheat and rice.

The production of foodgrains is estimated to decline due to drought in parts of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan In initial estimate, the Agriculture Ministry has projected 10 per cent fall in Kharif output at 117.18 million tonnes, but it hopes to make up some of the shortfall in rabi. At a conference of Food Ministers to improve PDS, Mr Pawar said, although initial kharif estimates point towards marginal drop in total foodgrains output this year, they are hopeful of achieving a total of 250 million tonnes during 2012-13 with good prospects of rabi crop.