New Delhi: Area sown to kharif crops likepulses has plunged by 23 per cent to 215.87 lakh hectare in 2016-17 season so far because of deficit rains in June.
As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), June ended up with an overall rainfall deficiency of 11 per cent. But the situation is expected to be better this month.
Sowing of kharif crops begins with the onset of southwest monsoon from June and harvesting from October onwards. As per the data released by Agriculture Ministry, kharif crops were sown in 215.87 lakh hectare as on today as against 279.27 lakh hectare a year-ago.
Paddy, the main kharif crop, was covered in 47.77 lakh hectares so far this year, marginally higher than 47.62 lakh hectare in the year ago period. Maximum area under paddy so far was covered in Punjabfollowed by Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Assam.
Area sown to coarse cereals was down 15 per cent at 37.15 lakh hectare as against 43.72 lakh hectare in the said period. Similarly, pulses acreage was down by 11 per cent at 19.85 lakh hectare as against 22.25 lakh hectare in the said period, out of which the maximum area of 7.02 lakh hectare was covered in Karnataka. Even area under oilseeds was down 47 per cent at 28.71 lakh hectare as on today when compared to 54.24 lakh hectare.
The government has announced significant rise in support price of pulses and oilseeds this year to boost production and reduce the country's dependence on imports.
Among cash crops, cotton planting was down 49 per cent at 30.59 lakh hectare so far this season as against 60.16 lakh hectare in the year-ago. Jute area was also down at 7.43 lakh hectare from 7.60 lakh hectare, but sugarcane area rose marginally to 44.38 lakh hectare from 43.68 lakh hectare in the said period.
