India's rice output expected at 100 mn tons in 2012-13: FAO The
global body on the farm sector had earlier forecast the rice
output in India, the world's second largest producer, at 98.5
MT. This was due to late onset of monsoon rains leading to
deficit in key northern and southern growing areas. FAO in its
latest 'Food Outlook' report said that output prospects in India
were marred until August by below-normal precipitation, but have
since been bolstered by a revival of the monsoon rains. "As a
result, the country is predicted to harvest 100 MT in 2012-13, 4
MT less than its outstanding 2011-12 season, but still the
second best result in history," FAO said. The country had
harvested a record 104.32 MT of rice in the 2011-12 crop year
(JulyŅJune). "While the resulting replenishment of water
reserves should foster an expansion of secondary rabi (winter)
crop, the rains may have come too late for the main kharif
(summer) crop to be unscathed," it added. The past few months of
the 2012 season were dominated by c