The shortfall in sowing of oilseeds and pulses has continued to bring down the total area under cultivation during the current kharif season as compared to the previous year.

Farmers across the country have so far covered only 1,013.83 lakh hectares (ha) by end of this week as compared to 1,019.6 lakh ha cultivated by same period last year, according to the data released by the Agriculture Ministry on Friday.

While there was nearly 19 per cent decrease in area under arhar cultivation, planting of major oilseeds soybean and groundnut was down by a little over 7 and 11 per cent respectively.

The acreage of arhar cultivation came down to 41.75 lakh ha as against 51.33 lakh ha the same period last year, thanks to lesser area covered in most arhar-growing states, particularly in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. Uradbean, on the other hand, found to be the flavor of the season among pulses with uradbean acreage going up nearly 23 per cent to 41.24 lakh ha from 33.62 lakh ha in same period last year.

While soybean cultivation was down to 104.88 lakh ha from 113.11 lakh ha corresponding week last year, groundnut was sown only in 38.80 lakh ha as compared to 43.76 lakh ha same week last year.

Only crops to have registered an increase in area under cultivation were cotton, which grew close to 17 per cent to 119.67 lakh ha, and sugarcane, whose acreage went up 9 per cent to 49.78 lakh ha this week last year.

Area under rice was 358.28 lakh ha as against 361.24 lakh ha, while pulses cultivation was down nearly 4 per cent to 135.96 lakh ha, despite impressive increase in uradbean acreage.

Also, there is about 8 per cent dip in oilseeds cultivation to 164.24 lakh ha as against 178.66 lakh ha same week last year. Coarse cereals too recorded a slight drop in area under cultivation to 178.85 lakh ha, the data indicated.

Water level in reservoirs across the country were far from satisfactory as compared to corresponding period last year. Total water storage in 91 reservoirs was said to be 79.93 billion cubic metre (BCM) by this week as compared to 101.95 BCM corresponding week last year.

The country as a whole has received 619.3 millimetres of rain during the current monsoon season, which is 6 per cent less than the normal. Rainfall is deficient in 10 agro-meteorological subdivisions, particularly in the States of Kerala, Karnataka, Maharahstra, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

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