New Delhi, July 8: The government has scaled down its estimate of foodgrain production for 2004-05 to 204.61 million tonnes from the targeted figure of 225.1 million tonnes. This is also lower than the output for 2003-04.

In 2003-04, the actual foodgrain output at 213.46 million tonnes, in fact, exceeded the target of 212.05 million tonnes for the period.

According to data released today, the production of wheat is expected to be lower at 72 million tonnes from 72.1 million tonnes last year. The wheat procured by the government for the buffer stock also fell 11.2 per cent during the season to 14.78 million tonnes from 16.64 million tonnes in the previous year.

Rice production has taken an even bigger hit due to the poor monsoon. Kharif rice production during 2004-05 is estimated to be down at 85.31 million tonnes, 3 million tonnes lower than 88.28 million tonnes in 2003-04.

The country is expected to produce 26.1 million tonnes of oilseed compared with 25.3 million tonnes a year ago. Of this, the winter output is estimated at 14.94 million tonnes and the summer production at 11.16 million tonnes.