India's summer-sown grains output seen at 144.52 million tonnes in 2020/21

By Mayank Bhardwaj

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian farmers are expected to harvest a record 144.52 million tonnes of grains from summer-sown crops in the crop year to June 2021, the government said on Tuesday, against 143.38 million tonnes gathered in the previous year.

In 2020/21, the output of summer-sown rice is estimated at a record 102.36 million tonnes, up from 101.98 million tonnes in 2019/20, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare said in a statement.

Higher rice output will help India, the world's biggest exporter of the grain, to boost its shipments of the staple.

Corn output could rise to 19.88 million tonnes from 19.63 million tonnes in the previous season.

Oilseed output is expected at 25.73 million tonnes, up from 22.31 million tonnes.

Production of peanuts is expected at a record 9.54 million tonnes against 8.36 million tonnes produced in the previous year.

Soybean output is seen at 13.58 million tonnes, up from 11.21 million tonnes in the 2019/20 crop year.

Higher oilseeds output will cut India's dependence on expensive vegetable oil imports. India is the world's biggest importer of edible oils, the third-biggest import item after crude oil and gold.

India, which spends about $10 billion a year on edible oils imports, buys palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia and other oils, such as soyoil and sunflower oil, from Argentina, Brazil, Ukraine and Russia.

Production of protein-rich pulses, or lentils, is estimated at 9.31 million tonnes, up from 7.72 million tonnes.

Cotton output could rise to 37.12 million bales of 170 kg each from 35.49 million.

Cane production in the world's biggest consumer of sugar is estimated at 399.83 million tonnes, up from 355 million tonnes.

This year's plentiful monsoon rains, which deliver about 70% of India's annual rainfall, have helped farmers plant a record acreage with summer crops such as rice, corn, cotton, soybeans and sugarcane.

(Reporting by Mayank Bhardwaj in New Delhi; Editing by Amy Caren Daniel)