Most rabi crops sown in more area this year

New Delhi, Nov 14 (UNI) About 35 per cent sowing of rabi crop is completed with More than 55 per cent area under oilseeds and pulses already been sown.

Sowing of wheat is now underway, according to the report received from various states as on today.

The normal area of wheat is about 265.72 lakh hectare (ha). The sowing of wheat is progressing well in most States. So far, about 26.90 lakh ha wheat has been sown compared to last year's coverage of 21.92 lakh ha.

This coverage of area during this year is reported to be higher over the corresponding period last year. Sowing of wheat has started in Haryana (7.20 lakh ha), Karnatka (1.73 lakh ha), Madhya Pradesh (8.21 lakh ha) and Uttar Pradesh (5.73 lakh ha).

In Gujarat, the temperature was a little high in the last week of October but now the sowing has started there too and also, in Maharastra.

Similarly, rice sowing has just started in some states and major sowing will be in December and January. About 0.15 lakh ha has been covered against normal area of 36.72 lakh ha.

In case of coarse grains like Maize, the normal area of crop is about 8.02 lakh ha in rabi season. About 2.32 lakh ha sowing has already been completed, compared to 1.77 lakh ha area during the same period last year.

Because of good moisture the coverage under rabi maize is likely to go up this year, an official release said here today.

Similarly, Jowar has been sown in about 41.97 lakh ha out of about 49.11 lakh ha normal area. Compared to last year, about 6.01 lakh ha more area has been sown.

More area coverage is reported in Maharashtra with additional 5.11 lakh ha and 1.39 lakh ha in Karnataka.

The total coarse cereals sown under the normal area is 63.59 lakh ha. The area coverage during rabi 2008 reported so far is 45.79 lakh ha as against 38.27 lakh ha during the corresponding period last year.

Thus, more coarse cereals area coverage (+7.52 lakh ha) is reported this year. The higher coverage has been reported in Mahrashtra (+5.24 lakh ha) and Karnataka (+1.65 lakh ha) in comparison to the corresponding period last year, while it is less in Tamil Nadu (+0.22 lakh ha).

In the case of oilseeds, the normal rabi oilseed area is about 95.16 lakh ha. The total oilseed sowing so far has been completed in about 60.59 lakh ha compared to 43.49 lakh ha at this time last year. It indicates that about 17.10 lakh ha more area has been covered under oilseeds in the current season.

Likewise, rapeseed and mustared coverage under has reached about 46.84 lakh ha in the current season which is higher by 15.40 lakh ha compared to last year's 31.44 lakh ha in the corresponding period.

Larger area has been covered in Rajasthan (+ 10.32 lakh ha), Haryana (+1.25 lakh ha) and Madhya Pradesh (+ 2.96 lakh ha).

In case of pulses, the normal area is 116.29 lakh ha. About 66.02 lakh ha been covered so far against 55.63 lakh ha during the corresponding period last year.

It indicates that about 10.39 lakh ha more area has been covered.

Among pulses, nearly 5.91 lakh ha more area than last years has been covered under gram.

In case of lentil and peas also, higher area is reported.

Higher area coverage is reported in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh which are the major rabi pulses producing states.

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