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Rabi sowing has picked up in northern States, where higher soil moisture left by recent rains is seen aiding the trend. Farmers have planted 30 per cent more area under mustard at 14.48 lakh hectares compared with 11.10 lakh hectares in the same period a year ago.
Better market price
Better market price for mustard, which is trading higher than the minimum support price (MSP) levels, is seen attracting farmers towards the oilseed crop. In Rajasthan, the largest producer of the winter oilseed crop, mustard area has been reported at 8.11 lakh hectares (lh), followed by Uttar Pradesh at 5.06 lh and Madhya Pradesh at 1.25 lh. The total acreage is five per cent higher at 21.37 lh (20.37 lh in same period last year).
The post monsoon rainfall has been good across the country, aiding the rabi plantings. The country as a whole has received 39 per cent more than normal rains at 81 mm. About 93 per cent of the area has received normal to excess rains, while the rest has been deficient.
The live storage levels in 130 reservoirs monitored by Central Water Commission stood at 141.9 BCM, accounting for 83 per cent of the total live storage capacity in these reservoirs. The current live storage is higher than the 10-year average but marginally lower than last year's levels.
Besides mustard, jowar is the other crop which has seen higher coverage. Jowar has been planted on 1.10 lh compard with 0.68 lh in the same period last year. Maize has been planted on 0.43 lh (0.42 lh). A total of 1.59 lh area has been covered under coarse cereals with Maharashtra reporting an area of 0.77 lh, followed by Tamil Nadu at 0.57 lh.
Pulses, paddy and wheat are trailing. Pulses have been planted in a total of 3.04 lh (4.70 lh). Gram has been planted in 2.32 lh (3.88 lh).
Due to good prices, farmers growing gram and wheat have veered towards mustard in some States. Karnataka has reported 1.52 lh under pulses, while Rajasthan at 0.82 lh. MP has seen pulses being planted in 0.51 lh.
The area under rice or paddy has also been lower than last year. About 1.90 lakh ha area has been covered under paddy, mainly in Tamil Nadu. Very small area of 0.001 lakh ha has been covered under wheat mainly in Jammu and Kashmir.
Wheat planting is yet to pick up as the harvest of paddy has been delayed in Northern states due to extended rains this year.
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