MUMBAI (Commodity Online): The kharif crop production in India is expected to decline severely because of the erratic monsoon and unexpected rainfalls ensuing floods in South India and the parts of Maharashtra, where lay substantial parts of country’s kharif fields.

The kharif crops were damaged first by poor monsoon and later heavy rainfall. According to Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA), kharif crop production likely to fall by 7.4% in 2009-10, because of lower acreage and decrease in yield.

Not only SEA, that predicted a sharp fall in kharif crop but also CME, which forecasted a decline of 28% in 2008-09 in groundnut production due to 17% lower acreage and fall in yield driven by poor rains and then the floods particularly in Andhra Pradesh, has impacted the production.

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The oilseeds production as per trade estimate arrived at Kharif Convention held at Indore on 1st November, 2009 indicate that oilseed production of major 7 oilseeds is down to 137 lakh tonnes compared to 150 lakh tonnes last year and the overall yield has reduced to 780 kgs from 815 kgs last year due to deficit and irregular rains. The overall availability of vegetable oils is likely to reduce by 3.0 to 4.0 lakh tonnes from kharif oilseed crops.

The Government has targeted higher rabi crop and increased MSP marginally for various agricultural crops, but did not increase the MSP for Rabi-mustard crop which is the major oilseed crop for the rabi season. Let us hope for a better rabi oilseed crop to compensate the deficit kharif crops.