Pulses have been the primary drivers of increased sowing in the ongoing kharif season with total acreage under the crop till September 2 surpassing the normal sowing area averaged over the last five years.
Acreage under rice, coarse cereals and oilseeds, too, has been robust, with sowing so far outstripping the previous year by 4 per cent. Total sowing of all seven kharif crops, at 1,033.99 lakh hectares (lh), is slightly lower than the normal area of 1,062.50 lh for the entire season, but is higher than sowing in the same period of the previous kharif season, which was 997.11 lh, according to figures released by the Agriculture Ministry.
With a few days of sowing still left in the ongoing season, total acreage is likely to catch up with the normal sown area of the last five years.
Rajasthan has taken the lead in sowing of pulses, followed by Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. Total sowing of pulses till August 31 on 142.02 lh is higher than both last year’s acreage of 106.92 lh as well as the normal area of 108.693 lh.
Sowing in most rice-growing States, including Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal has been up to expectations, with total acreage at 372.95 lh — higher than last year’s 364.43 lh.
Sowing of coarse cereals till September 2 is at 184.13 lh (175.59 lh). Oilseed sowing for the period is at 179.60 lh (178.67 lh).
Cotton sowing at 101.96 lh till date was lower than the 114.17 lh sown in the same period last year as many farmers switched to other crops due to pest attacks.
Sugarcane sowing was also lower at 45.77 lh (49.60 lh). Jute and Mesta acreage, at 7.56 lh, is almost at the same level as last year’s 7.73 lakh hectares.