Calcutta, May 10: The real gross domestic product (GDP) may grow at 8.1 per cent during the April-June quarter of the current financial year, according to a survey of professional forecasters by the Reserve Bank of India.

A majority of the 21 respondents projected the GDP growth rates for the second and the third quarters at 8.3 per cent and 8.1 per cent, respectively. The RBI has been conducting this survey since the July-September quarter of 2007.

While 68 per cent of the respondents predicted an 8.7 per cent GDP growth for 2007-08, they were divided in their estimates for the current financial year.

While 39.7 per cent said the GDP growth in the current financial year would be between 7 per cent and 7.9 per cent, another 35.7 per cent believed that it would vary between 8 per cent and 8.9 per cent. A 6.2 per cent said the GDP would be 6.9 per cent or less, while another 6.1 per cent expected it to grow by 9 per cent or more.

The respondents also revised their estimates for agriculture and industry downwards to 2.6 per cent and 8.8 per cent, respectively, for 2007-08. In the second round of survey in December 2007, the forecasters had estimated a growth rate of 3.4 per cent for agriculture and 9.3 per cent for manufacturing.

In 2008-09, these two sectors are expected to grow at 3 per cent and 8.1 per cent, respectively. The growth rate for services is also expected to come down to 9.9 per cent in the current financial year from 10.6 per cent in 2007-08.