Pulses area up 35% on better monsoon

Pulses acreage stood at 121.10 lakh hectares this season against 89.72 lakh hectares last season

Area under pulses has increased by 35 per cent to 121.10 lakh hectares so far in the ongoing kharif season on good monsoon, raising hopes of higher production and softening high retail prices.

Pulses acreage stood at 89.72 lakh hectares last season.

The government expects pulse production to increase to 20 million tonnes in the 2016-17 crop year (July-June) from 16.47 million tonnes in the previous year and that would help it to control the high retail prices.

"The total sown area as on 5th August, 2016 according to reports received from states, stands at 885.29 lakh hectare as compared to 841.65 lakh hectare at this time last year," an official statement said.

Paddy has been sown in 281.95 lakh hectares so far this Kharif season as against 276.10 lakh hectares in the last season.

Area under coverage for coarse cereals stood at 163.77 lakh hectares up from 158.66 lakh hectares last year.

Oilseeds area has also gone up to 167.58 lakh hectares from 157.65 lakh hectares.

Sugarcane area rose to 46.87 lakh hectares from 46.11 lakh hectares.

However, cotton area has declined to 96.48 lakh hectares from 105.68 lakh hectares.

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

The meteorological department has forecast better than normal rains for the four-month season ending September.

The country produced around 252 million tonnes of foodgrains in the 2015-16 and 2014-15 crop years (July-June) on account of two consecutive drought years.

However, the government is targeting a record production of 270 million tonnes in current 2016-17 crop year on hopes of better rains.