Lag in kharif sowing not cause for concern; will recover as planting still underway: Agri Min official

Thecurrentlaginareasowntokharifcropsespeciallyriceandpulsesisnotamajorcauseforconcernassowingisstillunderwayineasternstatesandmanyflood-hitareas,accordingtoasenioragricultureministryofficial.

TheareasowntomostkharifcropswillberecoveredassowingwindowistillSeptember15andthetotalkharifoutputwillbeasperthetarget,theofficialadded.

Sowingofkharif(summer)cropsbeginswiththeonsetofsouthwestmonsoonfromJuneandharvestingstartsfromOctoberonwards.

Theagricultureministryhassettheproductiontargetforfoodgrainsatarecord291.1milliontonnesfor2019-20cropyear(July-June),comprising147.9milliontonnesinkharif(summer)seasonand143.2milliontonnesduringrabi(winter)season.

"Sowingareaislaggingmarginallyasofnowbutthatisnotacauseforconcern.ThetansplantingofpaddywillcontinuetillSeptember15ineasternstates.Inflood-hitareasofAssamandBihar,transplantingisbeingdoneinareawherewaterhasreceded,"theofficialtoldPTI.

Asperthelatestdatareleasedbytheagricultureministry,ricehasbeensownin354.84lakhhectarestilllastweekofthekharifseasonof2019-20cropyear,lowerthan372.42lakhhectaresintheyear-agoperiod.

Areaunderpulsesisalsodownat127.99lakhhectaresasagainst131.54lakhhectaresinthesaidperiod.

Theofficialsaid,"Thesowingofminorpulsesandshortdurationpulsesisstillgoingon.Theacreagewillbemore."

Areaundermajorkharifcropswillrecoverandoveralloutputisexpectedtobeasperthetarget."Therewon'tbeanyshortfallintheoutput,"theofficialsaid.

Askedaboutkharifoutputprojectionsbeingmadebyprivateagencies,theofficialsaid,"Therearemanyprivateagencieswhichhavestartedprojectingagricultureoutputbeforecompletingofsowing.Thegovernmenthasitsownsystemandwefollowthat.Weworkintheinterestoffarmers."

Gettingsowingdatafromblocklevelisnotaneasytaskforthegovernment.Ittakestimeandsometimesthereisalagofweekortendays.Therefore,thesowingdatashouldbereadkeepingthesethingsinmind,theofficialexplained.

Accordingtothedata,oilseedshavebeensownin170.78lakhhectarestilllastweekofthekharifseasonofthisyear,against171.15lakhhectaresintheyear-agoperiod.

Coarsecerealshavebeensownin171.74lakhhectaresasagainst171.73lakhhectaresinthesaidperiod.

Sugarcanehasbeensownin52.41lakhhectarestilllastweekofthiskharifseasoncomparedwith55.47lakhhectaresayearago,whilejute/mestahasbeensownin6.84lakhhectaresagainst7.20lakhhectaresinthesaidperiod.

However,cottonhasbeensowninhigherareaat124.90lakhhectarestilllastweekofthiskharifseasonasagainst117.66lakhhectaresintheyear-agoperiod.

Totalareasownunderkharifcropisabout1,009.50lakhhectares,lowerthan1027.17lakhhectaresinthesaidperiod.