Pulses acreage up 13 per cent

Pulses production, which has become a major cause of concern for the government due to the demand-supply gap, may increase during kharif 2007 as the area under coverage of the crops has gone up by 13 per cent till July 26.

The pulses acreage stood at 84.94 lakh hectares so far this year against 74.88 lakh hectares in the year-ago period.

The pulses output in the country is estimated higher at 14.23 million tonnes during 2006-07 against 13.39 million tonnes in the previous year, but is still short of demand which is pegged at over 17 million tonnes. Out of the total production estimated for 2006-07, 4.74 million tonnes is from kharif and 9.49 million tonnes from rabi crops.

"The acreage has definitely gone up in the current kharif season. But it is too early to predict that production would also increase," an importer said.

The government had said it would import 15 lakh tonnes of pulses this year to fill the demand-supply mismatch, which would help in stabilising the prices of the commodity. It is importing pulses through state-owned agencies STC, MMTC, PEC and NAFED by subsidising 15 per cent of the cost.

Besides, to increase production, the government targets to bring an additional two million hectares under pulses.

The area under coverage of arhar stood at 26.97 lakh hectares till July 26 against 27.53 lakh hectares in the year-ago period. Similarly, the urad acreage is reported higher at 18.92 lakh hectares against 16.85 lakh hectares, while the moong acreage stood at 24.95 against 18.41 lakh hectares.

Meanwhile, the oilseeds acreage in the ongoing kharif season has gone up by 6 per cent at 137.42 lakh hectares on July 27 compared with 129.13 lakh hectares in the year-ago period.

Under oilseeds, soybean has been sown in six per cent and groundnut in 13 per cent higher areas at 78.05 lakh hectares and 39.07 lakh hectares, respectively, compared with the corresponding period last year.

The total acreage of rice has reached to 154 lakh hectares compared with 154.27 lakh hectares at this time last year, the agriculture ministry said.

"Transplanting of rice is in progress in almost all the states. In Assam, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Punjab and West Bengal, sowing is at its peak," it said.

The area under coverage for coarse cereals is 172.77 lakh hectares compared with 154.23 lakh hectares at this time last year, up by 18.54 per cent.

Cotton has been sown in 73.73 lakh hectares compared with 66.12 lakh hectares last year. Out of this, 40.37 lakh hectares is under Bt cotton.

Sugarcane is reported at 51.16 lakh hectares compared with 48.32 lakh hectares and jute stood at 7.89 lakh hectares against 8.18 lakh hectares last year, it said.