Summer Crop Planting Increases by 4% due to Jump in Pulse Acreage

After leading by 7% over the previous year for many weeks in the last two months, overall sowing under summer crops reached 71.88 lakh hectares (lh) on Friday, up 4.4% from 68.84 lh in the same period last year. According to data released by the Union Agriculture Ministry, the area under pulses has increased by 18.4 percent to 20.38 lh, owing primarily to a significant increase in the coverage of the moong crops. Planting in moong was at 16.25 lh as of May 6, compared to 14.24 lh during the same period last year.

Madhya Pradesh (8.85 lh), Odisha (2.61 lh), Bihar (2.06 lh), Tamil Nadu (1.95 lh), Uttar Pradesh (1.53 lh), Gujarat (0.96 lh), West Bengal (0.83 lh), Andhra Pradesh (0.35 lh), Chhattisgarh (0.35 lh), and Maharashtra are among the major growing states (0.25 lh).

Rice planting, on the other hand, was down 3.6% at 29.71 lh compared to 30.83 lh planted the previous year. The total area under oilseeds is slightly higher, at 10.98 lh (10.54 lh). However, coarse cereal acreage has increased by 56,000 hectares to 10.82 lh so far. Maize area is down 3.4% year on year at 6.42 lh, down from 6.65 lh in the previous year.

Early sowing this year was most likely the cause of the higher lead, which is now decreasing as the zaid (summer season) planting season approaches its end, according to an official after releasing the weekly update. The heatwave and lower rains in many parts of northern and central India also made planting difficult, according to the official.

As of May 6, the cumulative rainfall in the pre-monsoon season since March 1 was 26% below normal on a pan-India basis. While the northwest region is 79% deficient, central India has received 58% less precipitation so far than the long-term average. So far, only 22% of the geographical areas have received normal or more rains.

According to Central Water Commission data, water levels in 113 reservoirs with irrigation facilities were 39% of their total capacity of 129.76 billion cubic metres (BCM) on May 5, compared to 34% a year ago and 28% considered normal at this time.

While nine reservoirs in the northern region have 30% storage capacity compared to the normal 33%, the storage position of 71 reservoirs in western and central India is higher than normal. Farmers can get enough water even if rainfall is low in these areas of the country.