Economic Survey 2014-15: Agriculture growth stands at 2.9pc

The agriculture growth stood at 2.9 percent during July-March, 2014-15 as compared to 2.7 percent during the last year.

Crops

Production of following commodities increased during the current fiscal year as compare to the previous year,

Cotton production

During 2014-15, stood at 13,983 thousand bales as compared to 12,769 thousand bales in 2013-14 and registered an increase of 9.5 percent.

Rice production

Increased to 7,005 thousand tonnes in 2014-15 as compared to 6,798 thousand tonnes in 2013-14 showing an increase of 3.0 percent.

Gram production

Increased to 484 thousand tonnes in 2014-15 as compared to 399 thousand tonnes in 2014-15, showing an increase of 21.3 percent.

Others

During July-March 2014-15, the production of Potatoes, Moong, Onions and Chillies increased by 6.3 percent, 6.2 percent, 1.3 percent and 0.3 percent, respectively.

Meanwhile following agricultural comodities witnessed decrease,

Wheat Production

Decreased to 25,478 thousand tonnes in 2014-15 as compared to 25,979 thousand tonnes in 2013-14 showing a decrease of 1.9 percent.

Sugarcane production

Decreased to 62,652 thousand tonnes in 2014-15, as compared to 67,460 thousand tonnes last year, and registered a decrease of 7.1 percent.

Maize production

Decreased to 4,695 thousand tonnes in 2014-15, as compared to 4,944 thousand tonnes in 2013-14 showing a decrease of 5.0 percent.

Pulses

Mash and Masoor (Lentil) decreased by 12.7 and 5.8 percent, respectively.

Livestock

Livestock share in the agriculture value added stood at 56.3 percent while it is contributing 11.8 percents to the GDP.

Livestock consists of cattle, buffalos, sheep, goat, camel, horses, asses, mules and poultry and their products.

Livestock in outgoing fiscal year recorded a growth of 4.12 percent as compared 2.76 percent last year.

The production of livestock products, milk, poultry products and other livestock items increased at the rate of 2.95 percent, 3.25 percent, 7.49 percent and 1.28 percent, respectively.

Forestry

The contribution of this sub-sector in agriculture is 2.0 percent with main components of forestry, timber and fire wood. Growth of the forestry is registered at 3.15 percent as compared to -6.74 percent last year.

Fisheries

Fisheries sub-sector has 2.1 percent share in agriculture sector, it has recorded a growth of 5.75 percent against the growth of 0.98 percent last year. The sub-components of fisheries such as marine fishing and in-land fishing contributed to an overall increase in the value addition of this sub-sector.