Major kharif crops except rice cover more area than last year

New Delhi, Aug 24 (UNI) The area under kharif crops as compared to August 24 last year has gone up considerably as per data compiled by Agriculture Ministry.

However, rice area coverage is marginally less.

The total coverage of kharif rice has gone up to 319.04 lakh hectare as compared to 322.76 lakh hectare at this time last year, the weekly Crop Weather Watch Group meeting of the Ministry of Agriculture was informed here today.

Transplanting of rice is in progress in states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Sowing is at last stage in Gujarat, Haryana and Rajasthan while. Transplanting is at peak in rest of the states.

Total coarse cereals have covered an area of 206.11 lakh ha as compared to 194.22 lakh ha at this time last year.

Cotton has been sown in 87.66 lakh ha as compared to 82.21 lakh ha last year. Out of this, 53.32 lakh hectare is under Bt cotton.

Sugarcane coverage is reported to be 51.04 lakh hectare compared to 48.32 lakh ha last year, and jute 7.89 lakh hectare (last year 8.18 lakh ha.).

The total coverage of oilseeds so far has been 167.93 lakh ha as compared to 155.41 lakh ha on August 23, last year. Soyabean has been sown in 9 per cent and groundnut in 13 per cent higher area compared to that in 2006.

Pulses cover an area of 112.85 lakh ha against 105.05 lakh ha till this time the last year.

UNI