Paddy sowing down by 24% so far due to less rains in some parts: Govt data
New Delhi: The area under coverage for paddy declined 24 per cent to 72.24 lakh hectares so far in the ongoing Kharif sowing season, while oilseeds acreage is lower by 20 per cent at 77.80 lakh hectares because of delay in the progress of monsoon rains in some parts of India, the agriculture ministry data showed.
Paddy was sown in 95 lakh hectares and oilseeds in 97.56 lakh hectares in the same period of the 2021-22 crop year (July-June).
The sowing of Kharif crops begins with the onset of the southwest monsoon in June. Paddy is a major Kharif crop.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a normal monsoon this year and the overall rainfall was "close to normal" between June 1 and July 6 this year.
However, the rainfall was deficient by 10 per cent in central India and 2 per cent in the northwest region of the country between June 1 and July 6.
The rainfall deficiency was as high as 36 per cent in the major rice-growing region of east and north-east India during the week ended July 6, according to IMD's latest statement.
According to the agriculture ministry's latest data, the area was sown to commercial crops --- sugarcane, cotton, and jute/mesta -- was down by less than 1 per cent till July 8 of the ongoing Kharif season.
However, the area covered under pulses rose marginally by 1 per cent to 46.55 lakh hectares till July 8 of the ongoing Kharif season, when compared to 46.10 lakh hectares in the year-ago period.
But the area under arhar was down by 28.58 per cent at 16.58 lakh hectares against 23.22 lakh hectares, while that of urad by 10.34 per cent to 7.47 lakh hectares from 8.33 lakh hectares in the comparable period, the data showed.
Among oilseeds, area coverage under soybean was down by 21.74 per cent at 54.43 lakh hectares till July 8 of the ongoing Kharif season against 69.54 lakh hectares in the year-ago period, while area sown to groundnut slipped 19 per cent to 20.51 lakh hectares from 25.31 lakh hectare in the comparable period.
While total coarse cereals acreage showed a marginal increase to 65.31 lakh hectares so far this season from 64.36 lakh hectares in the year-ago period, but area sown to maize was lower by 24 per cent at 31.84 lakh hectares against 41.63 lakh hectares in the said period, the data showed.
In contrast, the area sown to bajra has risen by 79 per cent to 26.77 lakh hectares from 14.93 lakh hectares during the comparable period.
Among commercial crops, area sown to cotton was down marginally by 0.18 per cent at 84.60 lakh hectares so far this season, sugarcane area was lower by 0.46 per cent to 53.31 lakh hectares and jute/mesta acreage declined 0.78 per cent to 6.86 lakh hectare till July 6 of the ongoing Kharif season.
Experts said the rainfall in July month is crucial for compensating for the gap in the sowing of key crops.