Despite a sluggish start, kharif acreages have largely been made up, with farmers across the country planting more area under crops such as cotton, maize and soyabean that fetched better returns last season. The sowing season is almost over and the latest figures from the Agriculture Ministry have placed total kharif acreage at 1,029 lakh ha, marginally lower than corresponding previous year’s 1,035 lakh hectares. Normal area for the kharif season is 1,063 lakh ha.
The surplus rainfall across the country during August has given a fillip to the khairf planting. Rainfall across the country is excess by one per cent till September 4, according to the IMD. Rainfall has been deficient in about 7 sub-divisions that account for 15 per cent of geographical area.
Acreages under rice, the main cereal crop for kharif season, is down by about 10 lakh hectares, mainly due to lower planting in West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, TN and Karnataka.Telangana, MP and Odisha registered an increase in paddy acreages.