Area under kharif crops shrinks due to inadequate rain in east India

The sowing of kharif crops will continue till the middle of August but with every passing day the window of sowing to get an optimum harvest is narrowing

The area under kharif crops continued to be less than last year’s, mainly due to inadequate rain in east India and parts of Gujarat, and also because of a drop in the area under kharif pulses in Madhya Pradesh. However, with the monsoon showing signs of revival over east, North-East India and Gujarat, there is a possibility that the shortfall in the acreage will be covered.

According to the latest data from the department of agriculture, till Friday kharif crops have been sown in around 63.15 million hectares (mn ha), 9.3 per cent less than the area covered during the same