India's patchy monsoon rains have dealt a blow to crucial winter crops and could reduce output by some six million tonnes, a senior agriculture official said. The crop shortfall could also hit economic growth in farm-dependent India.
Agriculture Ministry Secretary Radha Singh estimated production loss due to the erratic rains of six million hectares (14.82 million acres) after 95.7 million hectares were sown compared with 101.6 million hectares in the same year-earlier period.
"This could translate into a decline in output of around six million tonnes from 110 million tonnes last year," the federal ministry's top official said. She said it was vital the shortfall be made up in the next crop-growing season.
India has suffered a 10 percent shortfall in the June-September monsoon rains that are a lifeline for the farm-dependent nation where some 600 million of its over one billion population depend on agriculture for a living.
India's crucial winter-harvest crops, called kharif, account for 52 percent of the country's total grains and 63 percent of its oilseeds output. Kharif crops are sown in June-July and harvested in October and November
"Because of anticipated shortfalls in kharif, it's imperative we make determined efforts to put additional areas under coverage in the new season to make up the losses," Singh said, adding New Delhi will stress the sowing of wheat, mustard, pulses and sunflower seeds.
Singh also said erratic rains have hit the mainstay production of groundnuts in Gujarat state. She added pests had destroyed swathes of soybean crops in sprawling Madhya Pradesh state.
The government is anxious to avoid any food shortfalls that could drive up inflation.
The health of India's agriculture sector is also linked to economic growth as rural consumers are key drivers of demand. Economists have said the deficient rains will hit economic growth.