Gujarat Rabi area may be 40.96 lakh hectares for 2007-08

The area under cultivation for the rabi season of 2007-2008 in Gujarat is likely to see a rise of around 300,000 hectares.

The state government has projected that around 4.1 million hectares are likely to be brought under cultivation for the rabi season of 2007-08.

The area under cultivation last year (2006-07) rabi stood at 3.86 million hectares. These figures include the rabi area as well as the post-rabi hot weather season area which falls between the rabi and kharif seasons.

"The area under cultivation this rabi season will be around 4.1 million hectares, up 2.38 lakh hectares from last year's 3.86 million hectares. The area include rabi and the hot weather season which falls in between the rabi and kharif seasons. The rabi area is likely to be 3.4 million hectares and the post-rabi season area will be 700,000 hectares. Last year, the rabi area stood at 3.2 million hectares and the hot weather season area stood at 651,000 hectares," said a senior official of Agriculture and Co-operation Department, Government of Gujarat.

"The projected area under cultivation includes area under foodgrain, oilseeds, sugar, horticulture crops and sugarcane. The total area under foodgrains will be 19.92 lakh hectares, marginally up from last year's 1.92 million hectares.

Area under oilseeds is likely to be 565,000 hectares, up 18.20 per cent from the last year's 478,000 hectares. Horticulture and spices area will be 1.27 million hectares which is 11.22 per cent higher than last year's 1.14 million hectares," he said.

"The sugarcane area is likely to go down by 11.21 per cent following the excess sugarcane production this year. The area under sugarcane will be 190,000 lakh hectares down from the last year's 2.14 lakh hectares.

Tobacco area is also shrinking and this year it is likely to go down by a whopping 22.33 per cent and stand at 80,000 hectares instead of 103,000 lakh hectares last year."

"The state government has identified foodgrain to be the main thrust area this rabi. The area under wheat will go up 4.08 per cent this rabi from the last year's 1.2 million hectares to stand at 1.25 million hectares this rabi. Rabi rice area will be 42,000 hectares against the last year's 40,000 hectares. Area under Bajra area, again a hot weather season crop, will marginally go up by 3.69 per cent from the last year's 217,000 hectares to stand at 225,000 hectares this year. Area under jowar will be down 5.66 per cent from the last year's 53,000 hectares, at 50,000 hectares this rabi season," he said.

He also said that the area under oilseeds will see a rise of 18.20 per cent which includes area under groundnut (hot weather season) and rapeseed.

Area under groundnut is likely to be 210,000 hectares up by 79.49 per cent from the last year's 117,000 hectares.

Area under rapeseed or mustard will be 355,000 hectares down 1.66 per cent from the last year's 361,000 hectares.

"The area under gram in Gujarat will stand at 250,000 hectares this rabi marginally up 1.63 per cent from last year's 246,000 hectares.

Area under other local pulses will be 100,000 hectares this rabi up by 6.38 per cent from the last year's 94,000 hectares," he said.