The wheat sowing area has increased by 1.38% to 320 lakh hectares in the ongoing rabi season, according to the agriculture ministry data released on Monday.
While wheat is the main rabi (winter) crop, the other crops grown during the season are gram lentil, maize, and mustard seeds.
In total, sowing of the rabi crops has touched 640 lakh hectares, which is a slight rise from the previous year.
The last phase of wheat planting is underway and the crop would be harvest-ready by April.
Agriculture Minister Shivaraj Singh Chouhan, in a meeting with officials, assessed the progress of the rabi sowing, and weather conditions. He also conducted a pest surveillance via the National Pest Surveillance System.
According to an official statement, “The overall crop coverage and crop condition is better than previous year.”
The ministry’s data showed that wheat sowing had increased to 320 lakh hectares till Jan. 20 of the current rabi season from 315.63 lakh hectares a year ago.
Pulses’ area rose marginally to 141.69 lakh hectares from 139.29 lakh hectares. Gram has been sown in 98.28 lakh hectares and lentils in 17.43 lakh hectare so far this season.
In the case of coarse cereals, acreage was slightly lower at 54.49 lakh hectare compared to 54.63 lakh hectare a year ago. Maize was covered in 22.90 lakh hectares and jowar in 22.90 lakh hectares.
Oilseeds sowing fell to 97.62 lakh hectares as on Jan. 20 compared to 101.80 lakh hectares a year ago. Rapeseed and Mustard were grown in 89.30 lakh hectares and groundnut in 3.65 lakh hectares.
So far this season, a total of 640 lakh hectares has been covered under the rabi crops. This is marginally higher compared to a year ago, when it was 637.49 lakh hectare.
The ministry said the sowing of rabi tomato, onion, and potato was underway and area covered under these crops so far was higher than the year-ago period.
Currently, prices of wheat, rice, gram, mustard and sesame are higher than the minimum support price in the market.
(With PTI Inputs)
