Rabi wheat, rice acreage falls

The rabi sowing of rice has begun in all major states even though the nationwide acreage recorded a dip of 16.58 per cent during the current season compared with the same period last year.

The total area coverage stood at 156,000 hectares at the end of last month compared with 187,000 hectares in the year ago month, according to the latest updates from agriculture ministry.

The major reason behind the low summer rice acreage was the decline in sowing area in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, where this year's respective acreage stood at 26 and 45 per cent lower than last year's.

Wheat, the major rabi crop, also recorded a 2.52 per cent decline in sowing area on November 29, 2004, at 10,046,000 hectares compared with 10,306,000 hectares last year. The area coverage of total coarse cereals was 4.73 per cent higher at 5,689,000 hectare compared with 5,623,000 hectares last year.

The area coverage of major coarse cereal jowar stood at 4,701,000 hectares during the current rabi period as against 4,696,000 hecatres during the same period last year.

The area coverage of barley was up by 6.66 per cent at 448,000 heactares compared with 420,000 heactares in the last year.

However, the area coverage for maize crop was down by 10.03 per cent to 341,000 hectares in comparison to 379,000 hectares during the last year.

The area coverage under rabi oilseeds as on November 25, 2004, was marginally higher at 7,681,000 hectares.

This was due to more area coverage under rapeseed and mustard and sunflower.

The acreage under rapeseed and mustard was 18.62 per cent higher while sunflower acreage was 13 per cent more than their respective normal sowing areas.

The area covered under groundnut was less than normal area as most of the sowing would start from December in states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

However, the area coverage in Andhra Pradesh is less till now compared with last year due to dry weather prevailed during thefirst fortnight of last month.

Groundnut sowings in karnataka has just begun and sowing in the two major states, Maharashtra and Gujarat, will start in February.

Because of water shortage in states like Andhra Pradesh, the coverage under groundnut is less compared with last year.

Summer sowing of sesamum has started in West Bengal.