A higher acreage of wheat, pulses and oilseeds has pushed up sowing in the ongoing rabi season by 7.63 per cent to 472.63 lakh hectares (lh), compared with 438.9 lh in the same period last year.

However, when compared with the last five years’ average sowing, the total acreage this rabi season has gone down by 2.64 per cent, with all crops, apart from pulses, posting lower figures.

Sowing of rice and coarse cereals, which comprise a small part of the total rabi sowing so far, was lower this year compared with the previous year.

Compared with the previous year’s sowing, which was hit by the second consecutive year of drought, the government expects sowing this year to be higher as the monsoon rains have been good.

The government’s demonetisation drive and the consequent scarcity of cash, however, could affect sowing to some extent, some economists fear.

Sowing of wheat, which started in October, was at 225.63 lh till December 8 compared with 202.28 lh in the same period last year, according to figures released by the Agriculture Ministry.

In the past five years, wheat acreage in the comparable period was higher, at 230.76 lh.

Sowing of pulses increased to 80.867 lh (74.05 lh) and the past five years’ average of 77.39 lh.

Rice acreage has declined to 8 lh (10.98 lh) and the previous five years’ average of 10.02 lh.

Acreage under oilseeds increased to 72.22 lh (65.71 lh).

Sowing of coarse cereals this season declined to 44.83 lh compared with 49.13 lh in the comparable period last year and the previous five years’ average of 47.18 lh.

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