Pulses sowing area up 9%, wheat area down in rabi season

Area under pulses rose by 9 per cent to 146.06 lakh hectares but wheat acreage declined to 262.74 lakh hectares in the ongoing rabi (winter-sown) season so far, according to the official data.
Area under pulses was 146.06 lakh hectares so far in this rabi season as against 133.94 lakh hectares in the year- ago period, an official statement said.
Wheat acreage fell to 262.74 lakh hectares from 272.62 lakh hectares during the period under review.
"As per preliminary reports received from the States, the total area sown under Rabi crops as on December 22, 2017 stands at546.02lakh hectare as compared to544.97lakh hectare this time in 2016," the statement said.

Rice acreage is up at 14.78 lakh hectares from 10.31 lakh hectares.
However, sowing area of coarse cereals is down marginally at 49.41 lakh hectares from 49.84 lakh hectares. Oilseeds acreage, too, is down at 73.03 lakh hectares from 78.27 lakh hectares.
India produced a record 275.68 million tonnes of foodgrain in the 2016-7 crop year (July-June).