Area under cotton, oilseed coverage rises significantly

New Delhi, July 13 (UNI) The governmnet today said the area coverage of most of the kharif crops has gone up by 18.20 per cent compared to last week.

The total coverage of kharif rice has gone up to 54.4 lakh hectare (ha) as compared 46.02 lakh ha last week, the weekly Crop Weather Watch Group (CWWG) data compiled by Agriculture Ministry informed here today.

The coverage was 54.96 lakh ha at this time last year.

Transplanting of rice is in progress in almost all the states.

Total coarse cereals have covered an area of 80.361 lakh ha as compared to 86.249 lakh ha the corresponding period last year and 60.78 lakh ha was under coarse cereals on last Friday.

Cotton has been sown in 69.05 lakh ha as compared to 58.01 lakh ha last year. The coverage last week was 59.6 lakh ha, out of which 24.35 lakh hectare is under Bt cotton.

Sugarcane coverage is reported to be 44.37 lakh hectare compared to 48.13 lakh ha last year, and jute 7.88 lakh hectare (last year 8.176 lakh ha). Last week, sugarcane and jute coverage were 45.16 lakh ha and 7.88 lakh ha respectively.

The total coverage of oilseeds so far has been 95.19 lakh ha against last year's 87.42 lakh ha. Last week it was 42.27 lakh ha.

Pulses covered 40.17 lakh ha land as compared to 47.89 lakh ha at this time last year. Last week, it was 26.84 lakh ha, the CWWG added.

UNI