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Kharif acreage advanced further as farmers planted more area under rice and pulses during the week aided by good monsoon rains.
Total acreage so far stood at 820 lakh hectares (lh), up 12 per cent over corresponding last year.
rice area
Rice acreage stood at 238.87 lh higher than corresponding last year as farmers in States such as Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh planted more area under the cereal.
However, the eastern States such as West Bengal, Bihar and Odisha reported a lower acreage as less rains in these States has affected the transplantation.
EXCESS rains
Since the onset of monsoon, rainfall across the country has so far been 17 per cent more than last year and the India Meteorological Department has projected a normal monsoon for August and September.
Pulses
Almost all crops, except sugarcane, jute and mesta, have registered an increase in acreage over corresponding last year.
The pulses acreage stood at 79.50 lh more than corresponding last year with States such as Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh reporting higher acreages.
Tur acreage stood at 32.68 lh (26.60 lh), while area under urad bean was up at 18.55 lh (16.62 lh).
The area under moong was up at 18.21 lh (12.16 lh).
Oilseeds coverage
Oilseeds planting advanced further with groundnut being planted on 37.24 lh (28.78 lh), soyabean on 118.76 lh (103.05 lh), sunflower on 1.83 lh (1.13 lh), sesamum on 10.95 lh (9.52 lh) and castor on 3.46 lh (1.84 lh).
cereals
The area under coarse cereals has increased to 163.07 lh from 135.75 lh in the review period with maize being planted on 74.90 lh against last year’s 62.85 lh.
States such as Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have reported higher acreages.
Area under bajra also increased to 59.70 lh( 45.93 lh), while the area under jowar was marginally lower at 18.68 lh (19.25 lh).
Area under cotton stood at 108.52 lh against last year’s 101.12 lh.
Crop damage
Though excess rains in the last couple of weeks have resulted in water stagnation in several parts of Central India, the exact impact on the acreages was not known.
Agriculture Ministry has not disclosed the data of crop damage separately, but officials said the impact was more localised in States such as Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
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