Rabi crops sowing progressing well: Agri Ministry

New Delhi, Nov 28 (UNI) Rabi crops sowing is progressing well with a significant rise in area under major foodgrain and oilseed crops cultivation this season as compared to last year.

This year as on 27 November, area under wheat is 118.03 lakh hectares (lh) against 114.12 lh during the corresponding period last year.

Similarly, Rabi rice covered 0.87 lh against 1.27 lh last year during the same period.Cultivation of Jowar is 44.53 against the last year's figure of 40.33 for the same period. And maize has been sowed at 4.75 lh as compared to 3.52 lh during the corresponding period last year.

Total area under coarse covered 54.52 lh as compared to last year's area of 48.28 lh, Gram 61.96 lh against last year's area of 52.45 lh. And lentil cultivated on 10.59 lh, higher than last year's area of 8.00 lh during the same period.

Total pulses covered 93.3 lh against last year's area of 76.85 lh and that of rapeseed&mustard 58.4 lh as compared to 52.81 lh last year.

However, oilseeds have been sowed on 76.31 lh against last year's area of 69.82 lh last year.

UNI JSS SV AS1832