Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today said rice production during this kharif season is expected to be lower than last year's level due to insufficient rain.

Rice production stood at a record 91.53 million tonnes in the kharif season of 2011-12 crop year. Speaking to media in New Delhi, Mr Pawar said last year's kharif rice production was exceptionally good. He said the country may not reach the last year's level .The average all-India rice production is around 81 million tonnes, as per the Agriculture Ministry data. The expected fall in rice production is because of drop in sowing area of paddy to 36.2 million hectare so far, as against 37.9 million hectare in the year-ago period.

Yesterday, Agriculture Secretary Ashish Bahuguna had said the government is finding it difficult to meet the foodgrain production target for the current kharif season because of poor monsoon.