Chennai, May 30 (PTI) Paddy production in the country is expected to touch 100 million tonnes this year if the monsoon remains normal as predicted, according to a top official in the Agricultural Department. The prevailing climatic condition in the country was beneficial for better agricultural production, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation Secretary Prafula Kumar Basu told PTI here. Basu, who was here to attend a function yesterday, said "given the normal monsoon conditions in the country, we should be able to do very well".

 "Pulse production should also be increased. We are going in for accelerated pulses production programme," he said, adding, with this initiative, the allocation under the pulses component would be increased and would cover many districts in the country.

The country produced 14.5 million tonnes pulses in 2008-09 while it imported about 3 to 4 million tonnes of the commodity, official sources said.