Indian farmers cover 96% of the normal Kharif area as planting window closes
Deficit in sowing of all crops shrinks to 0.3% as coverage picked up last week, with sowing increasing to 40 lakh hectares
Indian farmers have covered nearly 96% of the typical Kharif area as the planting window nears its conclusion, according to the latest update from the Agriculture Ministry. The sowing area reached approximately 1,056.7 lakh hectares by August 21, as opposed to 1,072.77 lakh hectares during the same period last year. The deficit had narrowed to 0.3% from 4.4% until August 7, indicating improved progress in transplanting during the past fortnight.
The main cereal for the Kharif season, paddy, is down by 3.2% to 405.10 lakh hectares compared to 418.29 lakh hectares a year ago. The decline in rice area is primarily attributed to substantial reductions in Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, and Jharkhand, with Karnataka reporting the largest decrease at 3.09 lakh hectares.
Among pulses, arhar sowing reached 43.86 lakh hectares, while urad rose to 24.38 lakh hectares. However, moong decreased to 32.68 lakh hectares. The coverage of nutri/coarse cereals has been reported as 1.9% lower at 176.36 lakh hectares compared to 179.81 lakh hectares. Cotton acreage has dipped slightly to 108.45 lakh hectares.
The overall monsoon rainfall has been 16% below normal during August 1-23, with 360 out of 741 districts experiencing rainfall deficits of 20% or higher.
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