BackRabi scenario not positive; area sown slips 19%: NCDEX
Rabi scenario not positive; area sown slips 19%: NCDEX
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PTI
Mumbai: The overall rabi scenario is not positive based on area sown under various crops, a National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) report said here.
All categories of rabi crops have shown a 19% decline in area sown to 194.4 lakh hectares as on 16 November, as compared to 239.9 lakh hectares last year. The normal sown area for all crops is 565.1 lakh hectares.
“While the complete picture will emerge after a few months, the current pattern (of rabi crops) approximately covers 34% of normal sown area for various crops against 42% for the same period last year," NCDEX said in its report on agri-progress.
The area sown is just one indicator of crop prospects and factors such as monsoon, pest attacks and frost also affect crop output, it said.
Area sown is higher only in case of crops such as urad, moong and barley.
All the three major rabi crops — wheat, chana and mustard — have seen lower sown area so far. In the case of wheat, only 13% of the area has been sown as against over 60% for chana and mustard.
According to data released by the Agriculture Ministry, the area under wheat declined 34.1% at 34.75 lakh hectares as on 16 November against 52.71 lakh hectares last year. Oil seeds were also sown on 47.2 lakh hectares against 68.2 lakh hectares last season, a 30.7% drop.
Area under cereals fell 21.9% to 79.7 lakh hectares against 101.9 lakh hectares last year.
Foodgrains sowing declined 14.3% at 147.2 lakh hectares and pulses by 3.4% at 67.5 lakh hectares, the data showed.
Meanwhile, the retail price of rice has gone up 14.3%, while that of wheat has remained unchanged for the period ended 16 November.
A mixed picture is seen in tur and chana. Chana production had risen, causing prices to fall 14.6%, while that of tur had risen 17.6% due to lower production in FY 07.
Groundnut oil prices have shot up by 34.85 while that of sugar declined 17.1%.
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