MUMBAI, 2 Aug (Commoditiescontrol): India’s Kharif crop coverage has seen significant developments as of August 2, 2024, with notable increases in the areas sown for paddy and pulses. The latest figures indicate a rise in total sown area to 904.60 lakh hectares, up by 25.38 lakh hectares from 879.22 lakh hectares recorded during the same period last year.
Paddy cultivation has experienced a robust increase, with the area sown reaching 276.91 lakh hectares, compared to 263.01 lakh hectares in 2023. This reflects a gain of 13.90 lakh hectares, though it remains below the normal area of 401.55 lakh hectares, signaling a positive trend in paddy production.
Pulses have also seen a substantial rise, with the total area sown expanding to 110.61 lakh hectares from 99.71 lakh hectares in the previous year. Arhar (Pigeon Pea) sowing increased to 41.89 lakh hectares from 33.27 lakh hectares. Similarly, area under Moongbean (Green Gram) rose to 31.62 lakh hectares from 28.15 lakh hectares. Urdbean (Black Gram) and Moth Bean showed minor reductions.
The area sown for Shree Anna & Coarse Cereals has also grown, reaching 165.59 lakh hectares compared to 160.38 lakh hectares in 2023. This increase includes a notable rise in maize, which surged to 82.25 lakh hectares from 74.56 lakh hectares, despite decreases in bajra and ragi.
Oilseeds coverage has expanded to 179.69 lakh hectares from 174.53 lakh hectares. This includes higher areas for groundnut and soybean, although castor cultivation has seen a significant drop.
Sugarcane cultivation saw a slight increase, reaching 57.68 lakh hectares compared to 57.11 lakh hectares last year, indicating sector stability.
However, there has been a decline in the sown areas for Jute & Mesta, which decreased to 5.69 lakh hectares from 6.29 lakh hectares, and Cotton, which fell to 108.43 lakh hectares from 118.19 lakh hectares.
The current data highlights a mixed performance across Kharif crops, with growth in paddy and pulses contrasting with reductions in cotton and jute. This evolving scenario underscores the impact of climatic conditions, market demands, and agricultural practices on India’s agricultural landscape.
(By Commoditiescontrol Bureau; +91 98201 30172)