Groundnut, soybean dent oilseeds acreage 3.4%

Agricultural experts say the rains, with the monsoon in its departure mode, are likely to improve crop yield and not damage crops as was feared.

Soybean farmers are hoping for more rains over the next week as it could help them contain damage.

Kharif sowing for crop year 2005-06 (July-June) is over.

Earlier, the delay in the onset and advance of monsoon led market to be sceptical about the crop output. However, subsequent rains have been good.

As on 19 September, rice acreage is up 2.4% on year, sugarcane up 9%, cotton up 0.5%, pulses up 1% and coarse cereals and jute up slightly. On the other hand, total oilseeds acreage is down 3.4% led by groundnut and soybean.

Oilseeds: Sowing is down 3.4 per cent at 170.14 lakh hectares, owing to delayed rains. The rains, seen over the last fortnight, were good for the crop and is likely to help reduce yield damage. Groundnut acreage is down to 55 lakh tonne owing to less coverage in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.

Soybean acreage is down owing to lower coverage in Madhya Pradesh, the major soybean growing state. Further, delay in rains had hit acreage in MP and is also likely to affect yield. Farmers now call for rains over the next week, to help cover up for the damage, experts said.

Acreage of seasmum and niger seed is down slightly while that of castor seed and sunflower is up.

Coarse cereals: Sowing is on year to 230.92 lakh hectares. Acreage of jowar (39.94 lakh tonne) and maize (73.35 lakh tonne) are up slightly, while that of bajra (90.88 lakh tonne) remains slightly down.

Rice: Sowing is over and has risen on year. Sowing in Tamil Nadu is likely to be normal. Government is expecting a rise of at least 2 per cent in kharif output.

Cotton: While sowing is better on year, the yield is expected to see a phenomenal growth, riding on the acreage under Bt Cotton. The total acreage under Bt Cotton during the season is 12.59 lakh hectares""including Maharashtra (5.20), Andhra Pradesh (3.09), Gujarat (2.0), Madhya Pradesh (1.35) and Punjab (0.50).

Sugarcane: Acreage is 9 per cent up on year, but lower from normal acreage at 42.98 lakh hectares. Cane sowing is completed and harvest of standing cane is likely to begin October first week. Rajasthan crop may be slightly affected owing to drought conditions.

Pulse: Sowing of arhar, moth and urad has improved on year while that of moong, kulthi and others is slightly lower. For arhar, acreage has risen in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjav, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. For urad, acreage is lower in Chattisgarh, Karntaka and MP but has risen in Bihar, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh.

Jute: Acreage is reported to be 788,000 hectares compared with 769,000 hectares during the corresponding period last year.