Kharif crops in more area this year: Agriculture Ministry

New Delhi, Jul 5 (UNI) Major foodgrain and oilseed crops have been grown in more area than last year with sowing of kharif pulses and bajra witnessing a big jump, according to the Agriculture Ministry here today.

Rice (paddy) has so far been planted in an area of 55.95 lakh hectares (lh) against compared to 47.08 lh by the end of June last year.

Bajra has covered 29.97 lh as compared to 11.64 lh last year and maize 26.47 lh against 21.57 lh by June end last year. However, the area under jawar has sofar been 7.61 lh, lower than last year's 9.84 lh.

Otherwise total of coarse cereals coverage has so far been 66.68 lh against last year's figure of 47.04 lh.

Groundnut sowing has covered 20.67 lh against last year's 19.34 lh and Soybean has been sown 24.82 lh against the last year's coverage of 22.07 lh by June-end.

Total of oilseeds is higher at 50.01 lh than that of last year's 49.52 lh.

The area under pulses cultivation is also higher than last year at 20.03 lh. However, sugarcane and cotton areas have come down at 42.82 compared to last year's 51.74 lh and 18.23 lh to 51.74 lh. But area under jute is up at 8.66 lh than that of last year's 7.03 lh.

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