Rabi acreage around 5% less than last year as sowing nears end

Total area might remain 1-1.5 million hectares less than 2013, impacting production and prices

As sowing of rabi crops enters its last leg, the overall area covered, as of Friday, was five per cent less than last year at 53.02 million hectares. This means  the total this year might be 1-1.5 million hectares less than in 2013.

This could have a negative impact on overall gross domestic product growth in 2014-15,  unless per hectare yields show a significant improvement in coming weeks.  

Farm growth had slipped to 3.2 per cent in the second quarter of FY15 against five per cent in the year-ago period. In the April-June quarter, it was 3.5 per cent.

In a recent note, CARE Ratings said lower rabi acreage might translate into lower production and pressure on prices, as rabi accounts for almost half the country's total agriculture production in a year.

Already, kharif foodgrains output is estimated to be less than last year, due to a below-normal southwest monsoon. According to the government’s first advance estimate, foodgrain production in 2014-15 is expected to be 120.27 million tonnes, nine million tonnes less than last year.

Production of rice is expected to be 88 million tonnes against 91.69 million tonnes last year, while that of coarse cereals is expected to be 27.05 million tonnes against 31.25 million tonnes last year.  Wheat, the biggest foodgrain grown during the rabi season, has been planted in 27.96 million hectares against 28.69 million hectares during the same period last year. The normal area under wheat during the whole year is 29.71 million hectares.  The data showed that among other crops, pulses have been planted in around 12.41 million hectares, against 13.47 million hectares during the same period last year.

Oilseeds have been sown on  7.40 million hectares, down from 7.90 million hectares during the same period last year.

A big drawdown has been the post-monsoon (October-December) rains in the country.  According to India Meteorological Department data, from October to

December 24, the southwest monsoon was 31 per cent below normal.

The saving grace has been the level in 84 major reservoirs across the country, water in which was estimated at 97.41 billion cubic metres as on December 11. This was 63 per cent of their total storage capacity and 84 per cent of last year’s storage.