Kharif acreage up by 9.4 per cent

Kharif acreage has gone up by 9.4 per cent at 96.68 million hectares as on September 2, on the back of good monsoon rains. Data released by the agriculture ministry showed all major kharif crops had seen a rise in acreages, compared to drought-hit 2009.

Significant increase has been registered by pulses – registering the highest increase in acreage at 21.38 per cent on a year-on-year basis to 109.52 lakh hectares – as farmers have turned to the crop expecting better prices following higher demand.