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For the first time this kharif season, paddy acreage has surpassed last year’s levels with transplantation gaining pace on good rainfall in several parts of the country. As per the latest data released by the Agriculture Ministry, the area under paddy has crossed the 400 lakh hectares (lh) mark.
Deficit rainfall
Paddy acreage has increased in Madhya Pradesh by 10.69 lh, Telangana by 8.19 lh and Jharkhand by 1.73 lh. The coverage is also higher in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, West Bengal, Punjab and Haryana among others. However, States such as Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala have reported a decline in the coverage.
The pick-up in paddy transplantation along with pulses and maize has helped narrow down the deficit in total kharif acreage due to deficit rainfall in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Catching Up
Late sowing likely
The total kharif area now stands at 1,081.50 lh, marginally lower than 1,094.01 lh during the same period a year ago. The pick-up in rains this week in parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat may bring in additional area under late sown crops, particularly pulses.
Among pulses, the area under tur and urad has increased, while moong continues to trail. The pick up in rains in recent week has helped moong gain area in Rajasthan, the major producer of the green gram. Overall area under tur has increased to 49.49 lh (47.45 lh), while that of urad has seen a marginal increase at 37.94 lh (37.85 lh), and moong area at 34.27 lh (34.93 lh). States such as Karnataka, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Haryana and Maharashtra have seen higher area under pulses, while MP, Odisha, Telangana, Gujarat and AP have reported a dip in acreage.
The area under coarse cereals is trailing last year’s levels mainly on account of a drop in sowing of bajra due to the rainfall deficit in Rajasthan. However, the area under maize has increased to 80.98 lh(79.42 lh), while jowar acreage has been maintained at last year’s level of 14.75 lh. The acreages under ragi and small millets are trailing last year’s levels by a small margin. Karnataka, MP and UP among others have reported higher area under coarse cereals, while Rajasthan, Telangana and Maharashtra have reported a decline.
Oilseeds acreage, too, continues to trail on account of lower area under groundnut, sesamum and castor. Soyabean acreage has surpassed last year’s level at 121.59 lh (120.61 lh) and sunflower at 1.45 lh (1.18 lh). Groundnut area is lower at 48.56 lh (50.76 lh), sesamum at 12.95 lh (13.61 lh) and castor at 5.62 lh (6.49 lh). Maharashtra, Gujarat, MP, Rajasthan and Karntaka have reported higher area under oilseeds, while Telangana and AP among others have seen a decline.
Gujarat cotton area slips
While cotton area, when compared to the normal for the season is marginally higher at 118.13, it continues to trail when compared with the last year. States reporting higher cotton area include Telangana, Karnataka and Rajasthan among others. Lower cotton area is reported from Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
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