Good rains boost pulses and coarse cereal sowing; paddy still lags

Rainfall between Jul 25-31, 42% above normal; Skymet questions IMD second half forecast

The sharp improvement in southwest monsoon in the last few weeks has vastly improved the sowing of pulses and coarse cereals and narrowed the difference with the acreage covered during the same period last year. 

However, the areas under paddy — the biggest cereal grown during the kharif season — continue to be less than last year, mainly due to delayed onset of rains and also account of shift towards the more lucrative maize. 

Data showed that till Friday, paddy has been planted in around 22.35 million hectares, which is around 12.5 per cent less than the area covered during the same