No impact of coronavirus on kharif season: Summer crops sowing touches record high

Kharif acreage has been 1,095.38 lakh hectare so far thanks to good rains and timely pre-positioning of crop inputs.

While the year has not fared well for the economy, India can at least find some respite in its agricultural sector with the sowing of kharif or the summer crops touching a new record in the season. Kharif acreage has been 1,095.38 lakh hectare so far thanks to good rains and timely pre-positioning of crop inputs, the agriculture ministry said in a statement today. The sowing of pulses, coarse cereals, millets and oilseeds is almost over while on the other hand, rice continues to be sown. The final sowing figures for the current kharif season will be closed on 2nd October. A year ago, farmers had sown a total area of 1,030.32 lakh hectare.

Before this year’s record high, the previous max mark was achieved in 2016 when farmers had sown kharif crops in a total area of 1,075.71 lakh hectare. Monsoon rains play a pivotal role in kharif acreage which begins with the onset of southwest monsoon from June and harvesting is done from October onwards. Other than good rains, timely prepositioning of inputs like seeds, pesticides, fertilisers, machinery and credit has made it possible for large coverage even while the country continued to face the headwinds of coronavirus, the ministry said. “There is no impact of COVID-19 on progress of area coverage under kharif crops as on date”.

The government had pumped resources in the farm sector during the first four months of this financial year in hopes of getting better yields from it as the majority of other sectors reported a slump due to coronavirus. The central government had also cut down on expenses on other low-priority sectors, The Indian Express reported on Friday. Meanwhile, the total area sown under rice has increased by 8.27% to 396.18 lakh hectare so far in the current kharif season from 365.92 lakh hectare in the year-ago. Area under pulses and coarse cereals has also witnessed a jump. India also reported a 9% increase in the overall rainfall so far.