Wheat sowing crosses 270 lakh hectare

New Delhi, Jan 11 (UNI) With the area under wheat sowing crossing 270 lakh hectare (ha), coupled with mild to moderate rainfall in Punjab, Haryana and other northern regions, the prospects of its production, expecting to touch an all time high mark at 77-78 million tonne, have brightened.

As per data compiled by the Agriculture Ministry as on today, sowing is progressing well in the present rabi season.

Wheat has already been sown in 270.40 lakh ha as compared to 277.45 lakh ha on the same date last year. And 8.54 lakh ha area has come under winter rice as against 9.05 lakh ha last year.

Last week, rain lashing the northern region was described as beneficial for the standing wheat crop in the area, agriculture experts said.

Coarse cereals have been sown in 65.36 lakh ha as compared to 64.22 lakh ha by this time in 2007. Barley and maize have also been grown in more area than last year's-barley 7.25 lakh ha, maize 8.96 lakh ha.

Rabi (winter) oilseeds have been sown in 84.55 lakh ha as compared to 93.93 lakh ha in the last rabi. Mustard/rapeseed coverage has reached 58.72 lakh ha whereas in the last rabi, up to this time, it was 66.41 lakh ha.

Rabi pulses cover 127.80 lakh ha (last year: 132.67 lakh ha).

Gram coverage has reached 78.44 lakh ha from 81.20 lakh ha by this time last year).

UNI JSS SBC BD1935