Wheat sowing up nearly 1% so far this rabi season at 332.16 lakh hectare

Area sown to wheat has increased by less than one per cent to 332.16 per hectare (ha) so far in the ongoing rabi season of the 2022-23 crop year (July-June), as per the agriculture ministry data released on Friday.

Sowing of wheat, the main rabi (winter) crop, had begun from October onwards. Maize, jowar, gram and mustard are other major rabi crops. Harvesting of these crops will begin in March/April next year.

According to the latest data, farmers have sown wheat in 332.16 lakh ha till January 6 of the current rabi season of the 2022-23 crop year (July-June) against 329.88 lakh ha during the same period last year.

Higher coverage was reported from Rajasthan (2.52 lakh ha), Uttar Pradesh (1.69 lakh ha), Maharashtra (1.20 lakh ha), Gujarat (0.70 lakh ha), Chhattisgarh (0.63 lakh ha), Bihar (0.44 lakh ha), West Bengal (0.10 lakh ha), Jammu & Kashmir (0.06 lakh ha) and Assam (0.03 lakh ha), it added.

Besides, the area sown to rice has also increased to 21.29 lakh ha till January 6 of the current rabi season compared to 16.45 lakh ha in the year-ago period.

Similarly, pulses acreage has risen marginally to 157.67 lakh ha against 156.23 lakh ha during the comparable period. Out of total pulses, gram has been sown is lesser area of 107.82 lakh ha so far this rabi season.

Coarse and Nutri-cereals acreage has increased marginally to 48.97 lakh ha from 46.80 lakh ha in the said period, the data showed.

In the case of oilseeds, the total area sown to various types of oilseeds has increased to 105.49 lakh ha so far this rabi season against 97.66 lakh ha in the year-ago period.

Of which, rapeseed-mustard seed area has increased to 95.34 lakh ha compared to 88.42 lakh ha, the data showed.

As a result, there has been a 2.86 per cent increase in total area sown to all kinds of rabi crops at 665.58 lakh ha till January 6 of the current rabi season from 647.02 lakh ha a year ago.