Area under kharif crops surpasses last year by 39% as monsoon progresses

In the first 19 days of the four-month monsoon season that started in June, out of 683 districts in the country, rainfall has been normal in almost 74% of them

Sowing of kharif crops gathered pace during the week ended Friday, as monsoon reached fresh parts of the country with the total acreage under different crops almost 39 per cent more than the same period last year.

According to data from the department of agriculture, until Friday kharif crops have been sown in around 13.13 million hectares of land, which is 39 per cent more than the same period last year.

The southwest monsoon during the same period was 114.7 millimeters, which is 30 per cent more than normal.

So far, in the first 19 days of the four-month monsoon season that started in June, out of 683 districts in the country, rainfall has been normal in almost 74 per cent of them.

The rains, as per the IMD might take a minor break for the next few days and again gather steam from June 24 onwards.

Meanwhile, the agriculture ministry’s data on sowing showed that among major crops, acreage of oilseeds and coarse cereals have been sharply up as compared to the same period last year so also for cotton, while sowing of paddy which is the main foodgrain grown during the kharif season is yet to pick up pace.

The acreage under kharif oilseeds, until June 19 is estimated to 1.43 million hectares, while it was 0.16 million hectares during the same period last year.

While, the acreage under kharif pulses this year has been around 0.45 million hectares until June 19, while it was 0.22 million hectares during the same period last year.

Meanwhile, as per the IMD’s projections, monsoon in 2020 is expected to 102 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA) with almost all regions expected to get normal rains this year.

The rains if they move as per forecast should aid in rabi planting as well.