Making up for the shortfall in rice and pulses cultivation during kharif, farmers have increased area under these two important food crops during the current rabi season, according to the sowing data released by the Agriculture Ministry on Friday.

The total area sown during the current rabi season has gone up to 163.25 lakh hectares (ha), nearly 19 per cent more than the 137.72 lakh ha covered during the corresponding period last year. Pulses and rice accounted for much of this increase.

The area under pulses stood at 63.79 lakh ha, which is 40 per cent more than the previous rabi season’s 45.48 lakh ha. Most of this increase has been in Madhya Pradesh which has planted pulses on an additional 20 lakh ha. Among pulses, gram, whose area under cultivation, went up to 47.2 lakh ha from 32.93 lakh ha last year, accounted for the maximum acreage.

There is a nearly 6.5 per cent increase in the area under wheat cultivation too. Wheat is being grown on 27.39 lakh ha compared to 25.72 lakh ha last year.

There is, however, a dip in the area under oilseeds. Against 42.14 lakh ha in the previous season, the area so far covered is 40.94 lakh ha, the Ministry said.

The predominant rabi oilseed crops — mustard & rapeseed — have been planted on over 37.05 lakh ha compared to 38.41 lakh ha last season.

Coarse cereals rise

Coarse cereals registered a 22 per cent increase in area under cultivation with the total area covered so far going up to 23.41 lakh ha as compared to 19.17 lakh ha during the previous rabi season. Jowar accounted for much of this increase.

The area under winter rice cultivation recorded 48 per cent increase to 7.73 lakh ha whereas the acreage during the corresponding period last year was 5.22 lakh ha.

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