Kharif acreage nears last year's level, except for paddy and pulses

The area under paddy was 4.97 per cent less than last year during the week ended September 9 at 39.37 million hectares, which is almost equal to the normal area covered under the crop in the Kharif season.

The normal area is the average area of the past five years starting 2017.

This comes to 39.7 million hectares in the case of paddy.

The Centre has clamped export curbs on several paddy varieties as it feels that total production might drop by 10-12 million tonnes due to delayed sowing.

Overall, till this week, which is almost