The Indian government’s kharif sowing data show a considerable improvement in paddy transplanting which will likely help ease concerns of the government amid fears of a lower output. The rise in the paddy acreage comes on heels of the ban on export of white (raw) rice,

The total area under paddy is up by 2.7 per cent at 180.20 lakh hectares (lh) against 175.47 lh a year ago. Last year, the paddy acreage was trailing by 13 per cent until July-end due to drought-like conditions in many areas of eastern region, still the final rice output increased.

Sowing of all kharif crops has reached 733.42 lh as on Friday — up 1.2 per cent than 724.99 lh in the year-ago period, official data show. As much as 57 lh under paddy got covered during past week only, which is near normal of 60 lh during third week of July.

Higher acreage under paddy has been reported from Madhya Pradesh (by 7.07 lh), Bihar (5.64 lh), Uttar Pradesh (4.07 lh), Telangana (1.20 lh) and West Bengal (0.62 lh). However, lower acreage has been reported from Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Haryana, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh.

Pulses down

Total acreage under all pulses declined 9.8 per cent at 85.85 lh from 95.22 lh. Arhar coverage has witnessed a mximum dip among all pulses by 18.4 per cent at 27.20 lh as farmers in key producing States are awaiting rains. Moong has recorded a 2 per cent fall at 26.12 lh, while urad area has declined 9.7 per cent to 22.91 lh.

Sowing of oilseeds was higher by 3.3 per cent at 160.41 lh. Soyabean area is reported to have increased 2.8 per cent to 114.48 lh and that of groundnut by 1.2 per cent to 34.94 lh.

Acreage under coarse cereals has increased 4.8 per cent to 134.91 lh (128.75 lh). Maize area, too, is up at 63 lh against 62.89 lh year-ago. Cotton acreage reached 109.69 lh until Friday, a tad below 109.99 lh year-ago. Sugarcane area is up 5 per cent at 56 lh.

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