New Delhi, September 8 (Daily Kiran) : As of September 4, the total area sown for the Kharif season across India has reached approximately 10.86 million hectares, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. This figure shows a slight decrease from last year’s 11.04 million hectares during the same period.
The area dedicated to rice cultivation stands at 4.21 million hectares, down from 4.38 million hectares last year. The decline is attributed to the adverse effects of the El Niño weather pattern, which has led to a weaker monsoon season. Significant reductions in rice sowing have been observed in states like Karnataka, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra.
In contrast, the area for pulses, including urad and moong, has increased to 1.17 million hectares, up from 1.15 million hectares last year. This rise is primarily due to higher sowing in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Telangana, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, compensating for declines in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Odisha.
Sowing of coarse grains, such as jowar, bajra, and ragi, is estimated at 1.81 million hectares this season, a decrease from 1.82 million hectares last year. The drop is mainly due to significant reductions in Karnataka and Maharashtra, along with declines in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, which were not fully offset by increases in other states like Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.
The area for oilseeds has also seen a decline, with 1.92 million hectares sown compared to 1.93 million hectares last year. This reduction is largely due to significant decreases in Rajasthan and Gujarat, overshadowing increases in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
Sugarcane sowing has reached 584,700 hectares, a slight decline from 588,700 hectares last year. The decrease is primarily due to reductions in Bihar and Uttarakhand, despite increases in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
Cotton sowing is estimated at 1.09 million hectares, down from 1.10 million hectares last year, with notable declines in Rajasthan and Haryana, which were not fully compensated by increases in Telangana and Gujarat.
Conversely, jute and mesta cultivation has seen an increase to 634,000 hectares, up from 624,000 hectares last year. This growth is mainly driven by higher sowing in Bihar and West Bengal, offsetting declines in Assam and Andhra Pradesh.
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