Mint Explainer: From scanty to deluge, how has sowing fared this monsoon season
As the monsoon current gathered pace over the past month, after a tepid start in June, so did Kharif sowing activities in the country. Farmers have sown summer crops across 98 million hectare so far, up significantly from 20.3 million hectare as on 30 June. July ended with 6% above normal rains compared with a 10% deficit in June.
Against this backdrop, Mint takes a look Kharif sowing progress and prospects going ahead. Delayed rains had hit Kharif sowing in June but with the monsoon current gathering pace and ample rains in July, overall acreage has now surpassed year-ago levels. Total area under Kharif crops rose marginally to 97.99 million hectare as of 11 August, compared with 97.26 million hectare a year ago.
For context, Kharif acreage stood at 20.3 million hectare as on 30 June. Paddy acreage, which had triggered output concerns rose 1.9% year-on-year to 23.7 million hectare as on 28 July from June’s 2.6 million hectare, which was at that time 26.3% lower on year. Till date, paddy has been sown across 32.8 million hectare as against last year’s 31.2 million hectare.
Pulses, oilseeds, and cotton acreage, however, have remained lower on year even as the gap has narrowed. Area under pulses was at 11.31 million hectare till August 11, as against 122.77 lakh hectares a year ago. Oilseeds area fell marginally to 18.33 million hectare from 18.46 million hectare in the said period.
Area under the cotton crops as of 11 August was 1% lower on year at 12.1 million hectare as against 13.9% year-on-year drop at 4 million hectare as on 30 June. As of 12 August, India had received 540.4 mm of rains, 2% below normal despite events of floods and excess rainfall in the country, especially northern states, through most of July. The
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