Gram sowing down by 21 per cent; wheat marginally lower

Total area sown to gram is down by 21 per cent at 79.65 lakh hectares, while that of wheat crop is lagging behind marginally at 293.16 lakh hectares so far in the ongoing rabi season, according to latest government data.
Gram (chana) was sown in 95.03 lakh hectares and wheat crop was sown in in 294.30 lakh hectares in the year-ago period. Rabi sowing starts from October, while harvesting begins from March.
As per rabi crop data released by the Agriculture Ministry, total area coverage of all rabi crops continues to lag at 552.82 lakh hectares as on today in the current rabi season. This is against 579.63 lakh hectares in the same season of the corresponding year.

There is a significant drop in coverage of area under pulses, especially chana.
Total pulses coverage is down by 10 per cent at 129.99 lakh hectares so far this season, as against 144.79 lakh hectares in the year-ago. Of this, gram sowing is down by 21 per cent at 79.65 lakh hectares so far this season.
Similarly, oilseeds' area is lower at 75.43 lakh hectares compared to 80.93 lakh hectares in the review period.
Coarse cereals' area too is lagging behind slightly at 51.17 lakh hectares so far this season from 56.18 lakh hectares in the year-ago period.