Rabi sowing starts slow as paddy harvest delayed

Wheat - the major rabi crop - has been planted on around 450,000 hectares, down from 939,000 hectares during the corresponding period last year

With the winter starting some parts of north India, rabi crop sowing has taken off at a slow pace.

According to the latest preliminary data by the department of agriculture, wheat - the major cereal grown during the rabi season - has been planted on around 450,000 hectares, down from 939,000 hectares during the corresponding period last year.

"These are early days to judge any trend. Wheat sowing is running late in some parts due to delayed harvest of the paddy crop," said an agriculture ministry official. He said it is only around December that something concrete can be said about the sowing.

The data also showed gram has been sown in 1.61 million hectares, down 32 per cent from the corresponding period last year. Pulses have been planted on 2.39 million hectares, compared to 3.08 million hectares in the corresponding period last year.

However, a jump was in recorded in oilseed sowing, which was planted in 3.13 million hectares, up 10.38 per cent from the corresponding period last year. Mustard is the main oilseed grown during the rabi season.

The Union government had recently raised the minimum support price of wheat and mustard by Rs 50 a quintal to Rs 1,450 and Rs 3,100, respectively.