The total production of pulses and oilseeds also fell sharply by 9.58 per cent and 5.09 per cent respectively last fiscal compared to 1996-97, agriculture minister Sompal told Rajya Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.

He said total foodgrains production at 194.13 mt was 2.6 per cent less than the previous year's figure.

The minister said production of pulses fell by 9.58 per cent in 1997-98 to 13.08 mt from 14.46 mt in 1996-97.

The oilseeds also registered a negative growth of 5.09 per cent at 23.69 mt in 1997-98 as against 24.96 mt in the previous year.

He said target of oilseed production for the year 1998-99 has been fixed at 27 mt.

Sompal said there was no proposal to increase the minimum support price of paddy as the price already announced was quite remunerative.

He said there was no proposal to increase import duty on vegetableoils.

He said prices of copra and coconut oil in the current season was lower than last year, which had witnessed unusual high price situation.

Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra have reported 351 suicidal deaths by farmers on account of damage to crops due to adverse weather conditions and indebtedness, he said.

He said considering the largescale crop loss in certain districts of Andhra Pradesh, the Reserve Bank and National Agricultural Bank for Rural Development (Nabard) have decided to offer a package to affected farmers, which included rescheduling of bank loans, moratorium for two years on loan repayment and reduction in rate of interest.

The minister said about 1196 persons lost their lives and 1774 were missing in Gujarat in the recent cyclone which hit the coastal districts of the state. He said another 12 persons lost their lives in Rajasthan in the cyclones.