Kharif crop sowing crosses 811 lakh hectare, area under pulses and oilseeds increased
As of July 26, sowing of Kharif crops has been completed 74 percent in the country. There has been a good increase in the area under oilseeds and pulses, while the area under paddy has affected due to less rainfall.
The sowing of Kharif crops in India has reached 74 percent of the normal sowing area, with pulses and oilseeds showing significant increases in acreage despite less rainfall affecting paddy cultivation. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, as of July 26, Kharif crops have been sown over 811.87 lakh hectares, an 18.24 percent increase from last year's 793.63 lakh hectares.
Decrease in Paddy, Cotton, Jute Areas
Data reveals a decrease in the sown area for paddy, cotton, and jute compared to last year. Paddy has been sown in 215.97 lakh hectares, down from last year's 216.39 lakh hectares. Jute and cotton areas have also declined to 5.69 lakh hectares and 105.73 lakh hectares, respectively, compared to last year's 6.11 lakh hectares and 113.54 lakh hectares.
Increase in Pulses and Oilseeds Areas
Conversely, pulses and oilseeds have seen a positive increase in their sown areas. Pulses have been sown in 102.03 lakh hectares, up from last year's 89.41 lakh hectares. Tur (arhar) sowing has reached 38.53 lakh hectares, compared to 28.73 lakh hectares last year, and moong has been sown in 30.37 lakh hectares, up from 27.01 lakh hectares. However, urad sowing is slightly behind, with 23.12 lakh hectares compared to last year's 23.86 lakh hectares.
Growth in Oilseeds and Coarse Grains
Oilseeds have been sown in 171.67 lakh hectares, an increase from last year's 165.37 lakh hectares. Groundnut sowing stands at 41.03 lakh hectares, soybean at 121.73 lakh hectares, sunflower at 0.60 lakh hectares, and sesame at 7.32 lakh hectares. Additionally, the sowing of Shri Anna (coarse grains) has increased to 153.10 lakh hectares from last year's 145.76 lakh hectares.
