The area under wheat cultivation in the ongoing rabi season is down by over 42 per cent vis-a- vis the previous year at 3.3 million hectares, as sowing activity is yet to pick up in major producing states, official data released today shows.
The acreage under oilseeds and pulses was also down 19 per cent and 44 per cent, respectively, in the current season at 4.96 million hectares and 3.62 million hectares, the data shows.
India has sown wheat, the major rabi crop, over 5.7 million hectares as of November 12, 2009, while the area under pulses and oilseeds stands at 6.49 million hectares and 6.13 million hectares, respectively.
According to a senior Agriculture Ministry official, sowing activities might be lagging as of now, but are almost certain to pick up in the coming days, thanks to the good monsoon this year.
"With better rains, the level of ground water is better this year. This should reflect in increased sowing," he said.
Earlier in the day, Agriculture Secretary P K Basu said the country's wheat production is likely to touch over 82 million tonnes this year, as farmers in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have gone in for early planting.
"Full-fledged sowing of wheat crop is expected to start in the coming weeks," he said.
On average, wheat is cultivated over a 28.18 million hectare area in the country every year.
Jowar sowing in the current season is also down at 2.73 million hectares, compared to 2.91 million hectares in the corresponding period last year.
The total acreage under foodgrains cultivation in the country, as of today, stands at 12.76 million hectares, down 17.57 per cent from 15.48 million hectares in the same period last year.
