Farmers planting pulses in big way; area up 39% so far

Farmers are sowing pulses in a big way as area under the crop has increased by over 39% to 90.17 lakh hectare so far in the 2016-17 kharif season with Karnataka on top.

Pulses acreage has increased by 87% in Karnataka to 14.09 lakh hectare as of Friday, from 7.53 lakh hectare when compared to the year-ago period, according to the data released by the Agriculture Ministry.

There has been 30-35% jump in pulses area even in Maharashtra and Rajasthan.

Sowing of pulses and other kharif crops begin with the onset of southwest monsoon from June and harvesting starts from October.

Monsoon rains are higher by 1%. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast better than normal rains for the four-month season ending September.

"In view of better progress of sowing of kharif crops, if rainfall conditions during the remaining period of the current monsoon season continues to be favourable according to prediction of the IMD, this year's production scenarios of kharif crops should be better than the last year," Minister of State for Agriculture Sudarshan Bhagat said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

According to the ministry's data, all kharif crops including pulses and paddy have been covered in 65% of the total farm area of 1,062 lakh hectare.

Out of which, paddy — the main kharif crop — has been sown in 183.06 lakh hectare so far this season, which is marginally higher from 182.38 lakh hectare in the year-go period.

Acreage of coarse cereals has also increased slightly by 3.46% to 131 lakh hectare from 126.27 lakh hectare, while area under oilseeds has gone up by 4% to 149.16 lakh hectare from 143 lakh hectare in the said period.

Interestingly, pulses have been covered in more than 39% of the area at 90.17 lakh hectare so far this season when compared with mere 64.69 lakh hectare in the year-ago.

In case of cash crops, the acreage of sugarcane, jute and cotton remained lower than the last year's period.

Cotton acreage is down by 14% to 86.86 lakh hectare from 99.52 lakh hectare, while sugarcane area is lower at 45.41 lakh hectare from 47.40 lakh hectare in the said period, the data showed.