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- The government has targeted a modest increase in foodgrains production for the next crop year of 2019-20 after the Indian Meteorological Department(IMD) has forecast normal monsoon in 2019.
- India Meteorological Department(IMD) had said that monsoon rains are expected to be normal in 2019 which is 96% of the Long Period Average (LPA).The IMD defines normal rainfall as between 96% and 104% of the Long Period Average(LPA).LPA (50 year average) of monsoon rains in India is 89 cm.
- The target of foodgrains production for 2019-20 crop year has been set at 291.1 million tonnes comprising 147.9 MT in kharif season and 143.2 MT during rabi.
- In India,there are two major cropping seasons: a) Kharif and b) Rabi. There is another cropping season Zaid i.e. summer season (March to June). Examples of Zaid cops are watermelon,bitter gourd etc.
- The kharif cropping season is from July –October during the south-west monsoon.Major Kharif crops include rice,maize,sorghum,groundnut etc.
- Rabi cropping season extends from October-March (winter). Major Rabi crops are wheat, barley, oats etc. Wheat is the main Rabi crop in India. It is sown between late October and December; while the harvesting starts from April onwards.
