Area under pulses has increased by 41 per cent to 110.35 lakh hectares so far in the ongoing kharif season on the back of good monsoon, raising hopes for higher production.
Pulses acreage stood at 78.25 lakh hectares in the last season.
The government expects pulse production to increase to 20 million tonnes in the 2016-17 crop year (July-June) from about 17 million tonnes in the previous year and that would help it to control the high retail prices.
"The total sown area as on 29th July, 2016 as per reports received from states, stands at 799.51 lakh hectare as compared to 752.29 lakh hectare at this time last year," an official statement said.
Paddy has been sown/transplanted in 231.92 lakh hectares so far this Kharif season as against 225.68 lakh hectares in the last season.
Area under coverage for coarse cereals stood at 150.76 lakh hectares up from 144.84 lakh hectares last year.
Oilseeds area has also gone up to 159.78 lakh hectares from 147.98 lakh hectares.
Sugarcane area rose to 46.83 lakh hectares from 45.91 lakh hectares.
However, cotton area has declined to 92.33 lakh hectares from 101.91 lakh hectares.
Sowing of paddy and other kharif crops begin with the onset of southwest monsoon from June and harvesting starts from October.
The met department has forecast better than normal rains for the four-month season ending September.
The country produced around 252 million tonnes of foodgrains in the 2015-16 and 2014-15 crop years (July-June) on account of two consecutive drought years.
However, the government is targeting a record production of 270 million tonnes in current 2016-17 crop year on hopes of better rains.
