Farmers in West Bengal have sown paddy across 40.13 lakh hectares so far in the ongoing kharif season, registering a 8.75 per cent year-on-year growth compared with the corresponding period a year ago.

The State government has set a target of cultivating paddy on 41.82 lakh hectares during the ongoing 2024-25 kharif (summer) season. As of August 20, around 95.96 per cent of this target was achieved.

During the same period last year, the farmers had sown paddy crop across 36.90 hectares in the State. “We are ahead of last year in terms of kharif paddy sown area. We expect to meet the target soon,” West Bengal Panchayat Minister Pradip Majumdar told businessline.

According to the government data, Purba Bardhaman achieved 96.72 per cent of its target area as of August 20, while Paschim Bardhaman exceeded its target area which was 30,000 hectares. Purba Bardhaman has the target of growing paddy on around 3.77 lakh hectares during the ongoing season. Notably, Bardhaman region is known as the rice bowl of Bengal.

Paschim Medinipur and Purba Medinipur, two major rice-growing districts, have so far achieved 92.97 per cent and 89.12 per cent of their target areas, respectively.