Sowing of rice, coarse cereals, pulses, oilseeds and cotton continues to trail in the ongoing kharif (summer) season on account of deficient monsoon in large parts of the country.

According to the Agriculture Ministry’s latest data, sown area of rice is down by 8.71 per cent at 19.1 million hectare as on today, against 20.93 million hectare in the same period last season.

Coverage of area under coarse cereals like bajra, ragi and jowar is less by 23 per cent at 11.74 million hectare so far as against 15.18 million hectare in the year-ago period.

Area sown to most kharif crops is down as a result of deficient monsoon rain across Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.

Agriculture Secretary Mr Ashish Bahuguna had recently said that “rains in August would be crucial to make up the shortfall in area”. Monsoon deficiency is 22 per cent so far.

Similarly, sowing area under pulses is lower at 6.29 million hectare as against 7.63 million hectare, oilseeds acreage is down at 13.83 million hectare against 13.98 million hectare in the reviewed period.

Within oilseeds, area under groundnut is lagging behind at 2.54 million hectare as on today, as against 3.3 million hectare in the same period last year.

But soyabean area is higher at 10.15 million hectare from 9.43 million hectare in the reviewed period.

Among cash crops, area under cotton is down at 9.72 million hectare as on today, as compared with 10.4 million hectare in the year-ago period.

However, area planted to sugarcane is higher at 5.28 million hectare so far, as against 5.09 million hectare in the same period last year.

Total area under all monsoon-sown crops is down by 10 per cent at 66.82 million hectare so far, as compared to 74.2 million hectare in the year-ago period.

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