As a shadow of drought lingers in different parts of the country, rabi sowing data released by the Agriculture Ministry on Friday shows a 7 per cent drop in cultivated area as compared with the corresponding period in the previous year.
As against 311.69 lakh hectares (lh) planted till same week in 2017-18, 288.91 lh have been covered this year. The maximum shortfall was reported in the cultivation of coarse cereals and pulses.
The total area under pulses planting remained at 88.67 lh (99 lh) cultivated in the same period last year. Gram, which is a major pulses crop during the season is sown only in 62.65 lh, 13 per cent down (71.98 lh). The acreage under coarse cereals on the other hand stood at 24.19 lh (35.13 lh), 31 per cent lower.. Jowar sowing is nearly 36 per cent down to 15.97 lh so far. There is also 19 per cent drop in the cultivation of maize at 4.84 lh and 11 per cent drop in barley sowing at 3.16 lh.
Even though wheat sowing showed a marginal 1.15 per cent increase as compared to last year, it is nearly 17 per cent lower than for the normal for the week. The total wheat sown area for the week stood at was 111.96 lh (110.69 lh). Rice planting is also reported to be 29 per cent lower compared to the same period in the previous year. The total area under rice planting is 6.75 lh (9.57 lh), particularly because of shortfall in cultivation in Tamil Nadu. The southern State where cyclone Gaja wreaked havoc last week reported a sowing deficit of 1.92 lh , according to the official data.
Oilseeds seems to be the only saving grace. While the total area under oilseeds crops remained similar to what was sown last year at 57.34 lh , there was 3 per cent increase in the area under mustard/rapeseed cultivation. As against 51.37 lh planted the same period last year, mustard/rapeseed crop stood at 52.93 lh till end of this week.