India Region

With 50 Percent Sowing Complete, Soybean and Arhar Report Higher Acreage

17 July 2024, New Delhi: As per the latest sowing acreages released by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, the total kharif sowing has reached 575.13 lakh hectares of the expected total of 1095.84 lakh hectares. This is about 52% complete as per the total expected acreage. The total expected acreage is based on the average of the last 5 years sowing acreages.

There has been an increase in the area of ​​paddy, pulses and oilseeds in the country as compared to the corresponding week of last year. At the same time, there has been a decrease in the sowing of millets and coarse cereals.

The main kharif crop paddy has been sown in 115.64 lakh hectares so far, whereas last year it was sown in 95.78 lakh hectares in the same period. This is a 21% increase when compared to the corresponding week of last year.

Farmers Favouring Pulses

The area of ​​pulses has so far increased to 62.32 lakh hectares, which was 49.50 lakh hectares in the same period last year. Farmers have shown a preference for arhar as the minimum support price has reached Rs. 7550/quintal. This is one of the highest support prices declared by the government.

Pulses comprise of Arhar, Urad, Moong, Kulti and minor pulses. Arhar has been sown in 28.14 lakh hectares, whereas last year it was sown in 9.66 lakh hectares in the same period. Arhar is about 45% of the total pulses acreage as of now. Urad has been sown in 13.90 lakh hectares so far. At the same time, moong has been sown in 15.79 lakh hectares. The total pulses as a segment has seen a growth of 26% when compared to the sowing data of the corresponding week of last year.

Shortfall in Millets and Coarse Cereals

As compared to last year, this year so far millets & coarse grains have been sown in less area. So far sowing has been done in 98.64 lakh hectares, whereas last year in the corresponding week, it was done in 104.99 lakh hectares. Millets and coarse grains comprises of jowar, bajra, ragi, small millets and maize. In this, maize has been sown in 58.86 lakh hectares so far which is 60% of the total millets and coarse cereal segment. Last year, during this period, it was sown in 43.84 lakh hectares. Jowar has been sown in 7.39 lakh hectares, while bajra has also been sown in 28.32 lakh hectares whereas last year, during the same period, it was sown in 50.09 lakh hectares showing a decrease of 21%.

Soybean Leads in Oilseeds

The total area of ​​oilseed crops has reached 140.43 lakh hectares, which was 115.08 lakh hectares in the corresponding week of last year. In this, soybean has been sown in 108.10 lakh hectares, which was 82.44 lakh hectares last year. Soybean is 76% of the total oilseed segment which also comprises of groundnut, sunflower, sesamum, niger and castor. Groundnut has been sown in 28.20 lakh hectares.

Farmers Show Low Interest in Cash Crops

The area under cash crop sugarcane has reached 57.68 lakh hectares till now, which was 56.86 lakh hectares in the corresponding week of last year. The area under jute and mesta has reached 5.63 lakh hectares while the area under cotton has reached 95.79 lakh hectares, which was 93.02 lakh hectares during the same period last year. Cotton has been sown in 95.79 lakh hectares.

 Kharif 2024 Sowing Acreages

S.No.CropNormal Area (DES) (2018-19 – 2022-23)Area Sown 2024Area Sown 2023(+) / (-) over 2023% (+) / %(-) over 2023
1Paddy401.55115.6495.7819.8621%
2Pulses136.0262.3249.5012.8226%
aArhar45.5528.149.6618.48191%
bUrdbean36.7613.9012.751.159%
cMoongbean36.9915.7919.57-3.78-19%
dKulthi*1.900.120.120.00-1%
eOther pulses14.824.377.40-3.03-41%
3Millets & Coarse Cereals180.8697.64104.99-7.35-7%
aJowar16.017.398.64-1.25-14%
bBajra72.6328.3250.09-21.76-43%
cRagi10.961.201.170.043%
dSmall millets4.471.871.270.6047%
eMaize76.9658.8643.8415.0234%
4Oilseeds190.18140.43115.0825.3522%
aGroundnut45.2828.2028.27-0.070%
bSoybean122.95108.1082.4425.6631%
cSunflower1.400.510.340.1751%
dSesamum**10.263.213.59-0.37-10%
eNiger1.220.200.020.181044%
fCastor9.070.160.39-0.24-60%
gOther Oilseeds0.000.050.040.0113%
5Sugarcane51.1557.6856.860.821%
6Jute & Mesta6.745.636.02-0.39-6%
7Cotton129.3495.7993.022.783%
Total1095.84575.13521.2553.8810%

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