Kharif sowing has picked up pace. Agriculture ministry data shows that farmers have cultivated crops across 73 million hectares till Friday, nearly 8.5% higher than the corresponding period last year.
This could be due to an improvement in rainfall in July across most parts of the country. Rainfall in the country during 1 June-23 July was 5% above normal at 389.2 mm. While two regions, Central and Northwest India, have received 15% and 40% more showers, respectively, precipitation in South Peninsula and East & Northeast India remain 10% and 23% deficient during the same period.
Although area coverage under paddy has been up 3% to 18 million hectares, the acreage of pulses fell 10% to 8.6 million hectares. In particular, tur or pigeon pea cultivation remains snail-paced, lagging 6% at 2.7 million hectares. The lag can largely be attributed to poor sowing of the crop in major growing states like Karnataka that is 9% rainfall deficient. Area under urad or black gram was also around 2.5% lower than last year at 2.2 million hectares.
Tur and urad together account for two-thirds of the country’s pulses production. Prices of these two pulses have been skyrocketing since the beginning of 2022-23 Kharif marketing season due to unseasonal rains weighing on their production. Any disturbance to these crops in the ongoing crop year started July may keep prices firm.
In the case of paddy, the main Kharif crop that contributes about 80% of India’s total rice production, plantation of the crop was initially delayed due to lack of rainfall.
As per agriculture ministry data, the acreage of coarse cereals has gone up to 13.5 million hectares as against 12.9 million hectares during the same period last year. In the non-foodgrains category, the area under oilseeds such as groundnut and soybean, among others, has risen to 16 million hectares from 15.5 million hectares in 2022-23 (July-June). Sugarcane and cotton sowing was also 2.6% and 0.3% higher than the previous year at 5.6 and 10.9 million hectares, respectively.
India has three crop seasons: summer, kharif, and rabi. Crops sown during June-July and harvested in October-November are kharif. Crops sown during October and November and harvested in January-March depending on maturity are Rabi. And crops produced between rabi and kharif are summer crops.
