Rabi sowing rises 18% in Chhattisgarh despite demonetisation

Acreage is about 18% more as compared to last year's 1.55 million hectares

Defying concerns about the impact of demonetisaton on the rural economy, Chhattisgarh has recorded an 18 per cent rise in the area under Rabi crop sowing over last year's 1.55 million hectares. The state government had set a target of 1.83 million hectares of land area to be covered in the current season.

According to a government official, around 91 per cent of sowing activity has already been completed and the state is looking forward to achieving its target as work continues in full swing.

“There was some delay in sowing due to the rains that the state received in the month of October and November,” said R K Chandravanshi, Deputy Director (Agriculture).

Demonetisation did not affect sowing activities anywhere in the state, he added, and claimed that the state government maintained its target instead of revising it to curtail area under crop coverage.

The state has received a good response in the kharif season as well. Chhattisgarh’s foodgrain production is estimated to increase by 16 per cent in kharif 2016. The state government had set a target to produce 8.68 million tonnes of foodgrain. 

In all, Kharif crops were sown on 4.8 million hectares of area.