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As rabi sowing gathers momentum, rapeseed-mustard is seen emerging as favourite choice of farmers in North India. As of October 29, mustard acreage accounted for some 57 per cent of the total planted area of 43.29 lakh hectares (lh) sown till now.
The total acreage is 1.8 per cent higher compared with last year’s 42.52 lh during the same period.
Higher market prices for mustard coupled with good residual soil moisture left by extended rains are aiding the sowing trend. The total oilseeds acreage is up 26.58 per cent at 25.33 lh. Of this mustard, accounts for a major chunk. In fact, mustard area is also higher by 26 per cent over same period last year.
Major planting of mustard has been taken up in Rajasthan at 16.9 lh, followed by Uttar Pradesh at 5.96 lh and Madhya Pradesh at 1.25 lh.
The post-monsoon rainfall continues to be good across the country, which has received 38 per cent more precipitation than normal during October 1-27. About 85 per cent of the area has received normal to large excess rainfall, while the remaining 15 per cent had witnessed deficient rains.
Live storage in the 133 major reservoirs monitored by Central Water Commission stood at 141.724 billion cubic metres (BCM), which is 82 per cent of the total capacity as on October 28.
Besides mustard, the other crop which has witnessed a growth in acreage is maize, while all other crops are trailing last year’s levels. Maize acreage stood at 0.83 lh, marginally higher than 0.77 lh. Coarse cereals, including jowar, have been planted in Maharashtra at 1.52 lh, followed by Karnataka at 1.39 lh and Tamil Nadu at 0.91 lh.
Among pulses, gram, the main crop for the season, acreage is lower at 7.77 lhcompared with 9.36 lh in the year-ago period. Rajasthan reported a pulses acreage of 4.84 lh, followed by Karnataka at 2.76 lh and Madhya Pradesh at 0.51 lh.
Cereals such as rice and wheat are trending lower than last year’s levels. Rice has been planted on 3.71 lh compared with 4.34 lh in the year-ago period. Rice planting is mainly going on in Tamil Nadu, where the area stood at 3.28 lh, followed by Telangana at 0.29 lh. Sowing of wheat stood at 0.34 lh compared with 0.35 lh a in same period a year ago.
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