Farmers have sown paddy in 32.73 lakh hectare area so far during the current Kharif (summer) season, up 37 per cent from the same period last year, as the government has allowed farm activities during the lockdown period.
"About 32.73 lakh hectare area coverage under summer rice has been reported compared to 23.85 lakh hectare during the corresponding period of last year," an official statement said.
The sowing area has been reported mainly from West Bengal (11.25 lakh hectare), Telangana (7.45 lakh hectare), Odisha (3.13 lakh hectare), Assam (2.73 lakh hectare), Karnataka (1.64 lakh hectare), Chhattisgarh (1.50 lakh hectare), Tamil Nadu (1.44 lakh hectare) and Bihar (1.22 lakh hectare).
Sowing area of pulses also rose to 4.67 lakh hectare area compared to 3.55 lakh hectare during the same period of last year. Tamil Nadu reported sowing of 1.46 lakh hectare, while Uttar Pradesh 1.28 lakh hectare.
Area under coverage for coarse cereals has increased to about 8.05 lakh hectare so far compared to 5.23 lakh hectare in the corresponding period last year.
Sowing of coarse cereals in Gujarat stood at 2.58 lakh hectare, Uttar Pradesh (2.19 lakh hectare) and West Bengal (1.21 lakh hectare) so far.
Area under oilseeds has increased to about 7.33 lakh hectare from 6 lakh hectare during the same period last year.
The IMD has forecast a normal monsoon for this year, raising hope of bumper sowing and production during 2020-21 crop year (July-June).
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