Paddy sowing area up 6 per cent; pulses rises 23 per cent in kharif season

New Delhi: Sowing area under paddy has gone up by 6 per cent to nearly 80 lakh hectares, while pulses acreage is up 23 cent at 44.11 lakh hectares so far in the ongoing kharif season.

Sowing in the kharif season normally begins with the onset of southwest monsoon and picks up pace from July. Paddy, tur, moong, urad, soyabean, sunflower seed and cotton are the main crops grown in this season.

"The total sown area as on July 7, 2017, as per reports received from states, stands at 404.27 lakh hectare as compared to 371.39 lakh hectare at this time last year," an official statement said.

Rice has been sown/transplanted in 79.81 lakh hectares so far this kharif season as against 75.28 lakh hectares in the same period last year. Pulses acreage rose to 44.11 lakh hectares so far from 35.88 lakh hectares in the year-ago period.

Area under coverage for coarse cereals stood at 80.78 lakh hectares as against 70.11 lakh hectares. Oilseeds area is up at 72.87 lakh hectares from 69.74 lakh hectares. In case of cash crops, sugarcane has been sown in 47.93 lakh hectares so far this season as against 45.22 lakh hectares in the year-ago period.

Cotton acreage has risen to 71.82 lakh hectares as against 67.89 lakh hectares. Jute area is down to 6.95 lakh hectares from 7.27 lakh hectares.

With monsoon rains expected to be normal this year, the government is targeting yet another bumper foodgrain and horticulture production in the new crop year 2017-18.

However, bumper production has resulted in fall in prices in the local markets, causing distress to farmers.