More area under wheat and maize

New Delhi, Jan 2 (UNI) As per the latest figures available with Agriculture Ministry, wheat and maize have been sown in significantly more area this season as compared to 2005-06.

Wheat has covered 263.91 lakh ha so far as compared to 247.25 lakh ha during the corresponding period last year, while maize has been sown in 9.86 lakh ha as against 6.79 lakh ha last year.

Rabi rice has been sown in 8.81 lakh ha so far as against 7.79 lakh ha during the corresponding period of 2005-06.

Higher coverage of wheat has been reported in Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.

Coarse cereals have also been sown in more area this year as compared to last year.

All coarse cereals this year cover 66.36 lakh ha area against 62.42 lakh ha at this time last year. However, coverage under jowar has been slightly less (47.298 lakh ha against 47.69 lakh ha last year).

As on December 28, 2006, the area coverage under pulses has exceeded that of last year. So far, Rabi pulses have been sown in 124.32 lakh ha as compared to 123.6 lakh ha at this time last year.

Area under rabi oilseeds (90.73 lakh ha), however, is less so far, as compared to last year (98.89 lakh ha) but it is higher than the five year average of area under rabi oilseeds (83.71 lakh ha).

The less coverage this season is attributed to diversion of area of rapeseed and mustard to Bengal gram in Madhya Pradesh and to wheat in Rajasthan and Haryana.

UNI