The area under all rabi crops has increased by 3 per cent from a year ago as sowing has nearly been completed except in paddy where another 30 lakh hectares (lh) are likely to be covered over the next two months. This might take the total area under rabi crops to over 730 lh.

The total area under all rabi crops has increased to 700.92 lh in the ongoing season against 678.78 lh a year ago.

Bumper output prediction

The Government is expecting a bumper output of wheat this year with experts predicting a record production of 112 million tonnes (mt), provided the temperature remains conducive over the next two months.

The wheat acreage has increased marginally by 0.37 per cent to 341.85 lh as of January 27 against 340.56 lh in the year-ago period. A higher area has been reported in Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Bihar, the Agriculture Ministry said in its weekly update.

The condition of the wheat crop is good as of now and another spell of rain in a day or two, as predicted by IMD, will help the growth of the plant, an official said.

Higher area in wheat has been reported from Rajasthan (up by 2.52 lh), Maharashtra (1.28 lh), Bihar (1.28 lh), Chhattisgarh (0.52 lh), Gujarat (0.44 lh), Uttar Pradesh (0.22 lh), Jammu & Kashmir (0.08 lh) and Assam (0.03 lh), the data showed.

Oilseeds, pulses acreage rises

Oilseeds acreage rose to 108.34 lh ( 100.50 lh), of which rapeseed/mustard crop has been planted on 97.17 lh ( 90.23 lh). The area under rabi pulses has increased marginally to 165.35 lh against 164.51 lh in the year-ago period. Of this, chana (gram) acreage is slightly lower at 111.35 lh ( 112.89 lh). Masur (lentil) acreage has increased to 18.49 lh (17.55 lh).

The area under nutri-cum-coarse cereals rose to 51.90 lh (49.57 lh). Maize coverage is up by 19.2 per cent at 21.36 lh. The coverage of barley, used by distilleries for manufacturing beer, has jumped to 7.45 lh from 6.79 lh. The winter-grown paddy acreage has increased to 33.49 lh from 23.64 lh in the year-ago period.

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