New Delhi, Aug 13 (PTI): Area sown to paddy is down marginally at 349.24 lakh hectare so far in the kharif season of 2021-22 crop year (July-June) from the year-ago period, according the Agriculture Ministry data released on Friday.
Farmers had planted paddy in 351.52 lakh hectare in the same season previous crop year.
Sowing of kharif picks up with the onset of Southwest monsoon rains, which have been 6 per cent below average so far in the season that began from June 1.
Farmers have planted summer(kharif)-sown crops in 997 lakh hectare till August 13 of the ongoing crop year, slightly slower than 1,015.15 lakh hectare in the year-ago period.
Of kharif crops, area sown to paddy, coarse cereals, oilseeds and cotton were lagging behind in the said period.
Area under oilseeds remained down at 180.14 lakh hectare so far in the current kharif season of this year as against 185.45 lakh hectare in the year-ago period.
Similarly, area sown to coarse cereals was down at 163.04 lakh hectare as against 167 lakh hectare, while that of cotton at 116.17 lakh hectare as against 125.48 lakh hectare in the said period.
However, area sown to pulses was slightly higher at 126.98 lakh hectare till August 13 of this season as against 125.06 lakh hectare in the year-ago period.
Areas under sugarcane remained marginally higher at 54.52 lakh hectare as against 53.69 lakh hectare in the said period, the data showed.