Farmers begin rabi sowing to capitalise on soil moisture

Pace slightly slower as compared to last year to begin with as rains are still continuing in some parts of the country

With this year’s southwest monsoon among the best in several years, farmers have started sowing rabi crops to make the most of the moisture in the soil.

However, the pace of sowing is lower than last year’s, as some parts of the country are still receiving rains. “The real momentum in rabi sowing will be seen after Diwali; we are hopeful of a record harvest of all major crops, as rains have been really good,” said a senior agriculture ministry official.

According to preliminary reports received by the Department of Agriculture, as of Friday, rabi pulses had been sown across 0.59 million hectares, against 0.88 million hectares in the corresponding period last year. While sugarcane was planted in 81,000 hectares, compared with 80,000 hectares last year, oilseeds were sown in 0.26 million hectares, against 0.85 million hectares last year.

On an average, rabi crops are sown in about 60 million hectares every year; wheat, mustard seeds and pulses are the primary crops grown during the rabi season. Sowing of rabi crops usually starts around the second week of November and ends in January. Harvest begins in February.

Government data shows in the just-concluded kharif sowing season, rice was sown in 38.35 million hectares, about two per cent more than last year.

This year, the southwest monsoon rains were six per cent more than normal, with most parts of the country (except Bihar, Jharkhand and, to an extent, West Bengal) receiving above-normal rains.