New Delhi: Wheat sowing area went up by over 7% to 256.19 lakh hectare so far this season compared to the year-ago period, while acreage of rice and coarse cereals was lagging behind, the agriculture ministry said on Friday.
Wheat is the main rabi crop and its sowing starts from October. As per the latest data released by the ministry, farmers have sown wheat in 256.19 lakh hectare so far this rabi (winter) season, as against 239.45 lakh hectare in the year-ago period.
Higher acreage of wheat was reported in Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarkhand and Maharashtra, it said. In view of Met department’s projection of “warmer” winter this year, agri-experts have cautioned that rise in temperature in February and March may impact wheat yields.
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A senior ministry official said that there is no cause of concern as of now and it was keeping a close watch and would issue necessary advisories to farmers. As per the data, pulses acreage has increased to 131.80 lakh hectare as against 117.06 lakh hectare in the said period encouraged by higher support price.
Even sowing area under oilseeds has increased to 74.31 lakh hectare so far this rabi season as compared with 69.53 lakh hectare in the year-ago period. However in case of rice, the sowing area has been lagging behind at 8.44 lakh hectares so far, as against 11.94 lakh hectare in the same period last year. Less area under rice was reported in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
The official said that the rainfall in South India due to cyclone “Vardah” has brought some relief to farmers and rice sowing is picking up. Similarly in coarse cereals, the acreage was lower at 48.53 lakh hectare so far this rabi season as against 52.51 lakh hectare in the said period. The ovarall acreage under all above rabi crops remained higher at 519.27 lakh hectare so far this rabi season as against 490.48 lakh hectare in the year-ago period.
“Demonetisation has not affected the winter crops sowing,” minister of state for agriculture Parshottam Rupala said in written reply to the Rajya Sabha on Friday. However the opposition parties have voiced concern about currency crisis affecting the farm sector and have demanded loan waiver for farmers.
