Wheat sowing up by 5 pc this season so far

New Delhi, Jan 3. Total area under wheat crop has increased by 5 per cent to 302.09 lakh hectare across the states in the ongoing rabi season so far compared to 286.38 lakh hectare during the same period last season. Total rabi-sown area, as per reports received from the states, was at 591.99 lakh hectare in the current season so far compared to 569.83 lakh hectare at this time last year, the Agriculture Ministry said in a release. Sowing of rabi crops starts from the month of October. Bumper crop is expected this year due to good and prolonged monsoon, which will help in retaining soil moisture and support the sowing of rabi crops. Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar had also said that the foodgrains production this year is likely to break previous record of 259.29 million tonnes achieved in 2011-12 if weather remains favourable through the ongoing rabi season. Among other rabi crops, pulses acreage has also increased marginally to 146.40 lakh hectare this season from 142.65 lakh hectare last year, taking advantage of rains. Area under oilseeds has increased to 83.77 lakh hectare during the period from 78.95 lakh hectare last year. Total area under rice sown in the rabi season has also risen sharply to 3.25 lakh hectare during the week ending today from 2.72 lakh hectare in the year-ago period. However, the area under coarse cereals has decreased to 56.49 lakh hectare, from 59.14 lakh hectares a year ago. The government has set a rabi production target of 92.50 million tonnes (mt) for wheat, 12 mt for pulses, 14 mt for rice, 4.4 mt for maize and 1.5 mt for barley.