The demand for rice and wheat in the country is estimated at nearly 200 million tonnes for the year 2016-17. In a written reply in Lok Sabha today, Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar said these estimates are made as per the Working Group on Crop Husbandry, Agricultural Inputs, Demand and Supply Projections and Agricultural Statisticts constituted by Planning Commission for the 12th Five Year Plan.

He said the production of rice and wheat during the current financial year is estimated at 191.06 million tonnes. The production of rice and wheat at present is sufficient to meet the demand, Mr. Pawar said.