Rabi cultivation has gained momentum in Gujarat with pulses, sugarcane, coriander and mustard emerging as the preferred crops for farmers.

The State government data as of November 23, showed rabi sowing completed on 17.29 lakh hactares, which is about 50 per cent of the normal rabi acreage of 34.38 lakh hectares.

Also read:A lukewarm start to rabi season in Telangana; heavy rains delayed sowing

For pulses ― mostly gram ― sowing has jumped this year at over 4.07 lakh hactares, which is about 27 per cent more than the normal 3.19 lakh hectares, and about four times more than last year’s 1.05 lakh hectares around the same time. Most of the sowing area is in Saurashtra.

Sugarcane sowing is in full swing in South Gujarat at a total 1.12 lakh hectares till now, which is more than double from 48,453 hectares last year and about 75 per cent of the normal 1.49 lakh hectares.

Farmers have turned to mustard and coriander as water availability across the State has improved on good monsoon. Total area under mustard is reported at 1.75 lakh hectares, which is about 90 per cent of the normal 1.96 lakh hectares. Similarly, coriander sowing is completed on 60,693 hectares, compared to the normal of 62,641 hectares. However, coriander sowing is multiple times higher than last year’s 9,623 hectares around the same time.

Also read:Spurt in gram planting pushes up rabi area by 10%

However, key rabi spice crop, jeera, hasn’t picked up in the initial weeks of rabi sowing. Cumin seed cultivation is seen on 1.68 lakh hectares, which is about 41 per cent of the normal 4.06 lakh hectares.

Wheat sowing too has been progressing at a sluggish pace in the State at 3.16 lakh hectares, which is only 30 per cent of the normal 10.86 lakh hectares.

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