The Hindu Business Line : Area under most kharif crops increases

New Delhi, Aug. 17 Higher pricesseem to be encouraging farmers to expand cultivationof various crops, barring rice and jute. Rice has been one of the few commodities whose price has not increased as much as other grains.

According to the Agriculture Ministry, coverage of rice is down by over three lakh hectares (lh) to 278.37 lh compared with the corresponding period a year ago. Jute’s sowing is down by 29,000 hectares at 7.89 lh.

Sowing in coarse cereals, whose price has been showing an uptrend particularly with regard to maize and bajra, has increased by nearly nine lh to 195.27 lh. Of this, bajra’s coverage is up by nearly five lh and that of maize by four lh. Area under jowar is, however, witnessing a downtrend. (See table)Again, a firm price trend in various pulses has led to increase in its sowing. Moong is the major beneficiary with its acreage rising by over seven lh, while area under arhar and urad is up by one lh each.

With prices of vegetable oils ruling firm in the global market, it should be no surprise that area under various oilseeds is seeing an increase. In fact, the acreage is more than the normal average coverage during the last five years.

While soyabean is heading for a record coverage, groundnut and castor sowing has also increased. Area under sesamum and sunflower, however, are lagging behind.

Despite huge carryover stock, cotton sowing has seen an improvement, while area under sugarcane, in spite of low sugar prices, is up by nearly three lh.

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