Rabi sowing tops 600 lakh ha on higher coverage

Our Bureau

Rabi planting this season crossed 600 lakh hectares on account of considerable higher planting of winter crops mainly in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

The total acreage for the week has gone up by nearly 7 per cent over 562 lakh hectares (lh) sown in the corresponding week last year, data released by the Agriculture Ministry showed on Friday.

Wheat sowing in Madhya Pradesh is higher at 75 lh, about a third more than the 56.56 lh planted in the same week in the previous rabi season. Most other wheat growing States maintained the sowing more or less at the same levels, even though Rajasthan reported an increase of nearly 10 per centarea in wheat planting.

Pulses up a tad

There is a marginal three per cent increase in pulses cultivation as well. The area sown under pulses moved up to 146 lh (142 lh). The increase can be attributed to a considerable jump in acreage under gram cultivation in Maharashtra and Rajasthan.

While the two other prominent pulses growing States — Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka — reported some dip in acreage, Uttar Pradesh almost maintained the same level.

Coverage of coarse cereals, too, has gone up by 13 per cent as compared to the same period last year. As against an area of 44 lh sown under coarse cereals in the corresponding week last year, the area covered till this week was 49.4 lh. Much of the increase was due to higher planting of jowar in Maharashtra which stood at 16.67 lh (11 lh). On other hand, Karnataka — the other major jowar-growing State — witnessed around 20 per cent decline in area as compared to the same week last year. There is nearly a seven per cent increase in maize sowing, which moved up to 13.7 lh.

Oilseeds, rice gain

Oilseeds, too, moved into the positive territory for the first time with an acreage of 75.72 lh, which was slightly higher than that in the corresponding week last year. Mustard/rapeseed cultivation was sown on 66.62 lh (67 lh).

Strong sowing activity in Tamil Nadu, which received good rains because of cyclonic depressions in the recent months, has helped rice planting to go up by nearly 16 per cent to 16 lh.

Water storage levels in reservoirs continue to be 52 per cent more than that in the corresponding week last year. According to the Central Water Commission, which monitors 120 major reservoirs in the country, these water bodies have a cumulative storage of 133 billion cubic metres (BCM) of water as against 88.17 BCM in the same week a year ago.

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