Farmers in India have completed planting of winter crops in over 75 per cent of the normal area 637.81 lakh hectares (lh) this year as per latest data of the agriculture ministry. While mustard, the key oilseed crop of the Rabi season, and barley have exceeded their normal area, wheat, chana (gram), masur (lentil), maize and paddy are likely to reach the season’s average in next few weeks.
The total area under all agriculture crops was 6.2 per cent higher at 479.02 lh as of December 5, as against 451.12 lh year-ago, the agriculture ministry said in a statement. The sown area under wheat was 241.40 lh as against 217.81 lh year-ago. The normal area (average of last five years) of wheat is 312.35 lh.
The sowing area under Rabi season’s paddy was 11.4 per cent higher at 10.98 lh from 9.86 lh and maize 3.3 per cent more at 11.41 lh from 11.05 lh. Barley acreage was at 5.95 lh from 5.68 lh year-ago whereas its normal area is 5.63 lh.
