Paddy, soyabean area down by 34 pc, Arhar 65 pc, cotton 14 pc
According to the latest data released by the Ministry of Agriculture, the area under paddy as on June 23, 2023 is 34.76 per cent less than the same period last year. On the other hand, the area under Arhar Dal, which has already fetched huge price hike, is 65.56 per cent less than last year. In the Kharif season, the area under soyabean, the main oilseed crop, has decreased by 34 per cent as compared to last year. On the other hand, there has been a decrease of 14.11 per cent in the area under cotton as compared to the corresponding period of last year.
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The weak monsoon has increased the concern of the government and farmers in the coming days. Monsoon rains across the country have remained 31 per cent below normal till June 23. Due to this, there has been a huge decline in the sowing area of main crops of Kharif season as compared to last year.
According to the latest data released by the Ministry of Agriculture, the area under paddy as on June 23, 2023 is 34.76 per cent less than the same period last year. On the other hand, the area under Arhar Dal, which has already fetched huge price hike, is 65.56 per cent less than last year. In the Kharif season, the area under soyabean, the main oilseed crop, has decreased by 34 per cent as compared to last year. On the other hand, there has been a decrease of 14.11 per cent in the area under cotton as compared to the corresponding period of last year.
At the same time, according to the latest data of monsoon rains of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), till June 23, 2023, the total rainfall in the country is 31 per cent less than normal. Most of the meteorological sub-divisions including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala are rain deficient in the 20-79 per cent range. The direct effect of this is visible on the sowing of Kharif crops.
On the other hand, 13 weather sub-divisions including Gujarat, Rajasthan and Punjab received normal or above normal rainfall. Because of this, the area under coarse grains has increased. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, till June 23, the total area under paddy has been 10.07 lakh hectare, which was 16.4 lakh hectare in the same period last year.
However, the total area under pulses has reached 6.5 lakh hectare, marking an increase of 3.17 per cent from last year's 6.3 lakh hectare. But the area under Arhar, the main pulse crop, has reached only 65,000 hectare this year as against 1.8 lakh hectare in the previous year, showing a fall of 65.56 per cent. The prices of tur dal are running high in the market and last year also its production fell by eight lakh tonnes. In such a situation, its current acreage position can create difficulties for both the consumers and the government on the price front of Arhar.
At the same time, the area under Urad, the second important pulse of Kharif season, has also remained 30.38 per cent less than last year. Till June 23, urad was sown in only 55,000 hectare, which was 79,000 hectare in the same period last year. In the current Kharif season, the area under oilseeds crops has remained 3.16 per cent less as compared to last year. Of these, the area under soyabean has reached only 99,000 hectares, which is 34 per cent less as compared to 1.5 lakh hectares during this period last year.
The area under cotton has also remained 14.11 per cent less than last year. Sowing area of cotton has reached 28 lakh hectare till June 23, as against 32.6 lakh hectare in the same period last year. The total area under Kharif season crops is still 4.50 lakh hectares less as compared to last year. Crops were sown in 129.5 lakh hectare till June 23 this year, which reached 135.6 lakh hectares during the same period last year.
The area under coarse cereals has increased by 38.35 per cent to reach 18.4 lakh hectare as compared to last year.
