The area under almost all rabi crops was up by 17 per cent in the week ended November 29, even as sowing across the country gathered pace.

According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, the acreage of key crops such as wheat, rice, pulses and nutri-cereals was higher, but that of oilseeds, particularly mustard and groundnut trailed. 

Better soil moisture due to the above-normal southwest monsoon, good soil moisture and higher storage in major reservoirs barring the northern region are factors helping higher sowing this rabi season.

Deficient rainfall

However, deficient post-monsoon rains could be an issue. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), data from 720 districts show that 64 per cent of the country received deficient or scanty rainfall between October 1 and December 2. “Rabi sowing is going on smoothly. The sowing window is still open and therefore, normal acreage will be achieved,” said the Agriculture Ministry’s statement. 

Overall, 428.84 lh of area under all crops has been covered compared with 411.80 lh in the same period a year ago, up 17 per cent. With a clear picture emerging on wheat sowing, the area under the key rabi food crop increased by 12.38 per cent to 200.35 lakh hectares (lh) from 187.97 lh during the same period a year ago.

Rice gains

Despite rains lashing the east coast, the area under rice gained marginally at 9.75 lh against 9.16 lh a year ago. Experts say at least one lakh hectares could have been affected by the rain, particularly in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, under the influence of Cyclone Fengal. 

The pulses acreage increased by 3.8 per cent to 108.5 lh (105.14 last year). Key crops such as gram (chana), lentils and field peas have witnessed a rise in coverage but that of urad and moong are down marginally.

Among Shree Anna and nutri-cereals, the acreage of most crops was up barring bajra by a tad. The area under jowar, the main rabi coarse cereals crop, was up over 3 per cent at 17.43 lh (14.06), while there was a marginal gain in maize area at 6.87 lh (6.53 lh). The coverage of barley, another major coarse cereals crop, was up at 4.27 lh (3.65 lh).

Farmers seemed to have been dissuaded by the fall in oilseed prices, particularly with the outlook being bearish because of surplus supplies of soyabean globally. It is currently reflected in the area under mustard slipping to 75.86 lh (80.06 lh) and that of groundnut to 1.97 lh (2.11 lh). Safflower coverage was up but that of sunflower was down.