Area under sugarcane crop has increased marginally to 51.76 lakh hectares (LH) in 2012-13 crop year so far.
"Sugarcane has been planted in 51.76 lakh hectares as against 49.47 lakh hectares on this date last year," the Agriculture Ministry said in a release today.
In northern states, sugarcane planting has almost been completed. While the first round of planting of cane undertook between September and November last year, the second round of planting ended last month, an agriculture scientist said.
Giving sowing details of kharif (summer) crops, the ministry said planting of oilseeds is in progress. Farmers have sown oilseeds in 1.72 lakh hectares so far.
Groundnut has been sown in 88,700 hectares, sesamum in 52,400 hectares and Sunflower in 20,400 hectares as of today.
Andhra Pradesh has reported sowing of groundnut in 36,000 hectares and Tamil Nadu in 21,800 hectares. In Karnataka, 25,000 hectares have been reported under sesamum cultivation.
Sowing of summer (kharif) crops begins with the onset of monsoon season from June.