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Widespread rains across the country since last week have helped in planting picking up pace this week and make up some of the acreage that were down until last week. Farmers across the country have planted kharif crops over an area of 721 lakh hectares (lh) compared with 792 lh planted in the corresponding week a year ago, according to sowing data released by the Agriculture Ministry on Friday.
Last week, the total acreage was 11.5 per cent lower than the normal seen during 2016-20. The area under kharif crops is lower till date since the monsoon took a “break” from mid-June to early July. Since last weekend, heavy rains have begun to lash across the country, particularly in key regions such as north-west and central India.
The area under rice topped 200 lh to touch 207.65 lh, nearly seven per cent lower than 223 lh covered in the same week in the previous kharif season. Many States including Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Odisha, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh have reported a drop in rice acreage compared with last year. But there is an increase in area in Assam and Madhya Pradesh this time.
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There is nearly 10 per cent drop in pulses area,mainly because of drop in area in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, which failed to get much rains till early last week. Compared with 97 lh planted in the same week last year, the area covered till now is a little more than 87 lh. Oilseeds area, too, is down by over 10 per cent to around 146 lh compared with nearly 163 lh same period a year ago. Soyabean crop in Madhya Pradesh accounted for much of the drop in planting. There is a bit of fall in acreage in Rajasthan and Gujarat, but Maharashtra increased the area under oilseeds a tad, however.
Cotton area also trails
Cotton area, too, registered a drop of nearly eight per cent. Compared with118 lh planted in the previous season, the area covered so far in the season is around 109 lh. Maharashtra accounted for much of the drop in acreage.
Rainfall was deficient in one-third of 36 meteorological subdivisions till July 21. Cumulative water storage in 130 reservoirs monitored by Central Water Commission till Thursday was 65.6 billion cubic metres (BCM), compared with 67.07 BCM corresponding week last year.
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