From the fields: Kharif sowing picks up pace, cotton lags, shows IMD data

The sowing data also showed that cotton acreage is almost 9 per cent less than normal as farmers have opted for some other crops due to repeated instances of pest infestations

Sowing of kharif crops continued with brisk pace till June 27 as the southwest monsoon picked up from mid-June in most parts of India. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), since mid-June average rainfall has been more than normal. This has spurred sowing of kharif crops, mostly oilseeds and pulses, that was lagging till then. However, the Soybean Processors Association of India (SOPA) said that there might be a 5 per cent drop in acreage of critical oilseeds this year due to farmers shifting to alternative crops because of low realisation. Meanwhile, the sowing data also showed that cotton acreage is almost 9 per cent less than normal as farmers have opted for other crops due to repeated instances of pest infestations.