Kharif sowing completed in half the area; experts predict bumper harvest this year

Officials say 107 million hectares to be covered 15-20 days earlier than schedule

As sowing of kharif crops reaches its halfway mark, most analysts and experts have predicted a bumper harvest this year, mainly of oilseeds and pulses, if the weather remains benign in the next few weeks.

Officials said given the pace at which sowing operations were continuing across most parts of the country, the entire 107 million hectares of usual kharif acreage would be covered by the end of July, a good 15-20 days before time.

Normal acreage is the average of the past five years. Till July 12, sowing was completed on 51.76 million hectares.

Last week, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar expressed hope that given the quick pace of sowing, kharif output in 2013 is expected to break all records. The highest foodgrain production achieved so far has been in 2011-12, at 131.27 million tonnes.

The latest data from the department of agriculture shows that till last week, acreage under paddy had reached 11 million hectares, almost 13 per cent more than that of the corresponding period last year. Pulses have been planted on 2.59 million hectares, almost 99 per cent more than last year's acreage. Oilseeds have been sown on 13.59 million hectares, around 101 per cent more than that of the year-ago period. Cotton has been sown on 9.24 million hectares, 41.74 per cent more than that of the corresponding period last year.

Timely and well-distributed monsoon season has been the main factor behind the sharp rise in kharif sowing area.

According to the India Meteorological Department, the southwest monsoon rains has been almost 19 per cent more than normal since it entered India on June 1. Though the pace has slackened a bit in the past few weeks - between July 4 and July 10 - it has been five per cent below normal. But most experts said they were hopeful that it will gather pace in the next few weeks, including over northwest India where it usually has been not regular.