India's foodgrains production is pegged at a seven-year low of 184.07 million tonnes in 2002-03, a major decline of 13.2 per cent against record production of 212.02 million tonne last year, in the third official advance estimates released on Friday.

The fall in production is estimated to be 17.4 per cent and 2.16 per cent in rice and wheat respectively to 76.91 and 70.26 million tonnes from 93.08 and 71.81 million tonnes.

The official data shows a decline of 19.81 and 5.83 per cent in kharif and rabi grain output to 89.45 million tonnes and 94.61 million tonnes from 111.55 and 100.47 million tonnes.

Due to the drought and major fall in production, for the first time in many years, rabi output is marginally higher than the quantum produced in kharif season.

In wheat, expected output has been revised upwards to 70.26 million tonnes from 68.89 million tonnes in the second advance estimates but is still lower than the 2001-02 final estimates of 71.89 million tonnes.

In rice the major decline in production is in the kharif season by 16.34 per cent to 66.73 million tonnes from 79 million tonnes. Even in rabi, the output has fallen to 10.18 million tonnes from 13.32 million tonnes which, in fact, is a shortfall of 23.57 per cent.

Pulses, in which India is deficient in production, the projected fall is 10.46 per cent from 13.19 million tonnes to 11.81 million tonnes. In rabi, pulses production is expected to fall to 7.75 million tonnes from 8.32 million tonnes.

In sugarcane, the production is pegged at 279.2 million tonnes, 6.9 per cent lower than last year's record 300 million tonnes.