Except for cash crops like sugarcane, cotton and jute, area sown to other kharif crops such as paddy, pulses, coarse cereals and oilseeds has exceeded so far in the kharif season from over the year-ago.
Sowing in the kharif season begins with the start of the south west monsoon from June and harvesting from October.
According to a latest sowing data released by the Agriculture Ministry, paddy planting has increased to 37.17 million hectares as on today, from 36 million hectares in the same period last year.
Area sown to coarse cereals has increased to 19.5 million hectares from 17.58 million hectares, pulses area has jumped to 10.37 million hectares from 9.82 million hectares and oilseeds acreage has risen to 19.25 million hectares from 17 million hectares in the review period.
Area under the above crops has increased following early and good south west monsoon.
However, sugarcane planting has declined to 4.87 million hectares as on today from 5 million hectares in the year-ago period.
Similarly, area sown to cotton has fallen marginally to 11.35 million hectares from 11.44 million hectares, while jute area has dipped to 8,34,000 hectares from 8,46,000 hectares in the review period.
Area sown to all kharif crops has increased to 103.36 million hectares as on today as against 97.89 million hectares in the same period last year.