Kharif sowing in Gujarat has shown a remarkable growth , unlike the national trend, with a 44 per cent rise in different varieties of pulses.
The area under moth beans increased the most – 45 per cent to 27,100 hectares as on September 12 against the 3-year average of 18,800 hectares. Other pulses varieties such as moong (green gram), urad and tur witnessed higher acreage by 13-16 per cent.
The overall total area under kharif pulses reported an increase of about 8 per cent to 5,60,300 hectares against the 3-year average of 5,21,000 hectares.
According to government sources, the increase in pulses area is attributed to the damage caused to the fields after floods in July-August. Several farmers from the flood-hit regions of North Gujarat and Saurashtra switched from cotton to pulses as the flooding of fields caused damage to cotton plants.