However, the share of the sector in the total gross domestic product dropped by 1.7 percentage point to 34.8 percent, shows Economic Survey 2012 that Ministry of Finance (MoF) released on Saturday. "This is a significant change in the composition of the GDP," said Finance Minister Barshaman Pun. [break]
According to the Survey, country´s output of major cereal products -- paddy, maize, wheat, barley, millet and buckwheat -- increased by 9.9 percent and touched an all time high of 9.45 million tons. This doubled the food availability at the production pockets compared to last year, indicating that if properly managed and distributed, the country can fight the food scarcity better in the remote districts.
The survey shows that production of cash crops such as oil seeds, potatoes, tobacco leaves, sugarcane and jute increased by 6.1 percent and touched 5.74 million tons in 2011/12.
Production of potato that weighs 47 percent in total cash crops grew by seven percent. However, sugarcane that weighs 50 percent in this basket grew by a meager one percent.
Similarly, production of vegetables and fruits increased by 6.2 percent and 6.5 percent respectively -- thanks to rise in production of off-seasonal vegetables and expansion of their production areas.
However, production of cow, buffalos and sheep remained almost stagnant for last three years, while poultry production rose by 13 percent -- lower than 53.46 percent growth recorded last year.
Total fresh milk production increased by 4.26 percent to 1.62 million tons in 2011/12 -- thanks to increase in population of milking cows and buffalos by 2.55 percent and 3 percent respectively.
The survey adds that the production of meat during the year grew by 3.71 percent to 287,929 tons. Of the total meat supplies, share of buff meat remained at two-third, while chicken fulfilled 14 percent of the total meat demand.
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