Pulses acreage has increased by 87 per cent in Karnataka to 14.09 lakh hectare as of today, from 7.53 lakh hectare when compared to the year-ago period, as per the data released by the Agriculture Ministry.
There has been 30-35 per cent jump in pulses area even in Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
Sowing of pulses and other kharif crops begin with the onset of southwest monsoon from June and harvesting starts from October.
"In view of better progress of sowing of kharif crops, if rainfall conditions during the remaining period of the current monsoon season continues to be favourable as per prediction of IMD, this year's production scenarios of kharif crops should be better than the last year," Minister of State for Agriculture Sudarshan Bhagat said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
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As per the ministry's data, all kharif crops including pulses and paddy have been covered in 65 per cent of the total farm area of 1,062 lakh hectare.
Acreage of coarse cereals has also increased slightly by 3.46 per cent to 131 lakh hectare from 126.27 lakh hectare, while area under oilseeds has gone up by 4 per cent to 149.16 lakh hectare from 143 lakh hectare in the said period.
Interestingly, pulses has been covered in more than 28 per cent of the area at 90.17 lakh hectare so far this season when compared with mere 64.69 lakh hectare in the year-ago.
Cotton acreage is down by 14 per cent to 86.86 lakh hectare from 99.52 lakh hectare, while sugarcane area is lower at 45.41 lakh hectare from 47.40 lakh hectare in the said period, the data showed.