The country is poised to have a record foodgrain production of about 124 million tonnes in the Kharif Season 2011-12. Releasing the data of the first advance estimates of production of Kharif Crops in New Delhi on Wednesday, the Union Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Sharad Pawar said that the total production of Rice during the Kharif season is estimated at over 87 million tonnes which will be an all time record.

He said that the production of rice is estimated to be higher by 2.19 million tones as compared to the previous record of 84.91 million tones during 2008-09.

Mr. Pawar said that oilseeds are set to register a record production of nearly 21 million tonnes. He said that the cotton production in the country is estimated at record level of over 36 million bales which is also higher by 2.67 million bales as compared to earlier record. The Minister said that despite decline in sugarcane production in subsequent years, the production is showing increasing trend and it is estimated at 342.20 million tonnes in the current kharif season.