Wheat sowing has been complete in about three-fourth of the normal area as of December 9, broadly in line with last year's coverage. Total wheat acreage has been reported at 209.55 lakh hectares, marginally lower than the previous year's 211.34 lakh hectares, according to the Agriculture Ministry's latest crop sowing data.

States such as Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Chhattisgarh have reported higher coverage this year. At the same times, lower sowing has been reported from Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab and Gujarat compared with the corresponding last year. Wheat was planted in 294.02 lakh hectares last year. The Government is targeting wheat output of 84 million tonnes, similar to that of 85.95 million tonnes produced last year.

Sowing in pulses has been higher, while that of oilseeds, coarse cereals and rice is lower compared with last year.

Pulses coverage has increased 1.39 lakh hectares compared with last year. Total area under pulses, led by higher area under gram, stood at 120.60 lakh hectares as against 119.20 lakh hectares. Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have reported higher coverage, while Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh reported lower sowing.

Oilseed sowing is marginally lower at 73.83 lakh hectares against 73.99 lakh hectares. West Bengal, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Assam have reported higher coverage of oilseeds as of December 8, whereas Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat reported lower areas.

Rice transplanting has seen a sluggish progress in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha and only 1.45 lakh hectares has been covered as against 1.8 lakh hectares.

>vishwa@thehindu.co.in

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