Rabi sowing slows, may pick up speed

Sowing of rabi crops continues to be less than the same period last year but there is a possibility of improvement in the coming days, as the winter season is set to become intense in parts of northern India.

Any unusual delay in planting might have an impact on the final harvest, particularly wheat.

Data released by the department of agriculture showed that till Friday, wheat has been planted on 11.73 million hectares, almost 27 per cent less than the same period last year.

So far, 77 per cent of the normal area under wheat has been covered. In the entire season the crop is sown in around 31 million hectares.

Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh discounted any cause for concern and said sowing would soon pick up in key growing states like, Punjab and Haryana

According to farm scientists, wheat sowing has not yet picked up due to less soil moisture, following deficient monsoon rains.

Also, the harvesting of kharif crops has got delayed and farmers are in the process of preparing field by clearing the residues of crops like rice.

Pulses acreage also continued to be low mainly due to slow planting of lentil (masoor). The data showed pulses have been sown in around 9.09 million hectares, which was less than the 9.78 million hectares sown during the same period last year.

In total all rabi crops have been sown on 31.79 million hectares of land till Friday, which is 5.46 million hectares less than the same period last year.

However, area of coarse cereals has increased to 4.44 million hectares, up from 3.74 million hectares sown during the same period last year.

Area under oilseeds fell to 5.70 million hectares as of Friday, down from 6.57 million hectares sown during the same period last year.

Green Revolution
India's first Green Revolution was not successful in rainfed areas, which contribute about 60 per cent of the country's total foodgrains, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said today. Singh while speaking at an event commemorating Golden Jubilee of Green Revolution said that barring pulses and oilseeds, we are self-sufficient in foodgrains. This was possible due to Green Revolution.

While there has been significant jump in production and productivity of rice and wheat due to the Green Revolution in 1960s, but the benefits did not reach rainfed areas, he said.