Despite Improved Rainfall, Kharif Coverage Goes Down by 6.6%

In spite of an average improvement in rainfall, Kharif sowing across the states failed to report a corresponding increase.

The total sown area remains at 788.5 lakh hectares (LH), which is about 6.6 percent lower than the corresponding week covered with 844 LH in the previous Kharif season, according to report released by the Agriculture Ministry on Friday.

Rice is worst hit among the crops, with planting at 223.5 LH, 12.5 percent lower than 255 LH sown in the same period last year.

According to the reports, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh are the States that reported a lower area under rice this week.

Although sowing of pulses decreased as compared to the corresponding week in the 2018-19 Kharif season, it seems to pick up some momentum growth.

But it’s still down by 7.5 percent as compared with the same period last year, with the area under moong 12 percent lower. As per reports, the total area under pulses is 105 LH as against 113 LH in the same week last year.

If we talk about oilseeds coverage, it breached 5 percent as compared to the same period last year. As against 157 LH planted this week last year, the area covered so far is 149 LH.

As per reports, the oilseeds area of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Rajasthan have remained lower than last year.

On the other hand, Maize cultivation continues to do better as compared with last year.

Coarse cereals as a whole reported a dip of around 6 percent as compared to corresponding week last year, mainly, due to a fall in the acreage of bajra and jowar. 

As per reports, around 41 percent of districts in the country so far have received deficient rains.

We can expect above-normal rainfall over the plains of north-west India, west coast and most parts of East India, while the rest of the country would receive normal to below normal rainfall.