Paddy sowing up 4.6%, pulses area rises 3.3% in kharif season

Sowing area under paddy has gone up by 4.6 per cent to 177.04 lakh hectares, while pulses acreage has risen by 3.3 per cent to 93.36 lakh hectares so far in the kharif season, the Agriculture Ministry said today.
Sowing in the kharif season normally begins with the onset of southwest monsoon and picks up pace from July. Paddy, tur, moong, urad, soyabean, sunflower seed and cotton are the main crops grown in this season.
"The total sown area as on July 21, 2017, as per reports received from states, stands at 685.31 lakh hectare as compared to 673.41 lakh hectare at this time last year," the ministry said in a statement.

Rice has been sown in 177.04 lakh hectares so far this kharif season against 169.23 lakh hectares in the same period last year.
Pulses acreage rose to 93.36 lakh hectares so far from 90.33 lakh hectares in the year-ago period.
Area under coverage for coarse cereals stood at 130.90 lakh hectares as against 129.41 lakh hectares.

Oilseeds area is down at 123.55 lakh hectares from 144.82 lakh hectares.
In case of cash crops, sugarcane has been sown in 49.15 lakh hectares so far this season as against 45.22 lakh hectares in the year-ago period.
Cotton acreage has risen to 104.29 lakh hectares as against 86.86 lakh hectares. Jute area is down to 7.02 lakh hectares from 7.54 lakh hectares.

With monsoon rains expected to be normal this year, the government is targeting yet another bumper foodgrain and horticulture production in the new crop year 2017-18. However, bumper production has resulted in fall in prices in the local markets, causing distress to farmers.