Set for a record: Rabi sowing at 644 lakh ha on higher wheat area

Rabi sowing is in full swing and it seems to be heading for covering a record area with planting so far covering 644 lakh hectares (lha), 2.6 per cent more than nearly 628 lha sown in the corresponding week in the previous season, according to data released by Agriculture Ministry on Friday.

Farmers have planted wheat over 335 lha as against nearly 327 lha covered in the same week last year.

Madhya Pradesh, which planted nearly 88 lha, nearly 10 lha more than same period last year.

Bihar and Maharashtra with an additional area of 1.7 lha and 1.4 lha, respectively not only covered the shortfall in sowing in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh but helped register an increase in overall wheat area in the country.

Record pulses area seen

Another crop that headed for a record area is pulses which is close to 160 lha (153 lha).

Gram — which is sown over 108 lha so far — accounted for much of the increase in pulses area. The area under gram is nearly 4.4 per cent higher as compared to same period last year.

Oilseeds showing has already touched the record mark with an area of nearly 82 lha. The area planted in the same period last year was less than 78 lha.

The area under rapeseed-mustard crop is around 73 lha, nearly 5 lha more than same week in 2019-20.

Coarse cereals, on the other hand, registered a nearly 7 per cent dip in area as compared to same period last year.

The area under coarse cereals was a little over 48 lha (52 lha).

Winter rice planting is yet to pick up momentum. The area covered so far is only around 19 lha and half of it in Tamil Nadu.

Storage levels down

In 128 reservoirs monitored by the Central Water Commission, a cumulative water storage of 119.64 billion cubic metre (BCM) as against 132 BCM in the corresponding week last year.