Oilseeds sowing up 14.41 pc in Kharif season so far

As per the ministry's data, farmers have planted soyabean in 118.99 lakh hectares till August 14 of this kharif season as against 111.46 lakh hectares in the year-ago period. The area under the groundnut crop has increased to 49.37 lakh hectares from 35.01 lakh hectares, while that of sesame seeds to 12.80 lakh hectares from 11.82 lakh hectares and castor seed to 4.18 lakh hectares from 3.83 lakh hectares in the said period.

Area sown to oilseeds has increased by 14.41 per cent to 187.14 lakh hectares so far in the 2020-21 kharif season from 163.57 lakh hectares a year ago on good rains, according to latest data released by the agriculture ministry. The rise in acreage under oilseed crops bodes well for the country which is dependent on imports to meet the demand of edible oils. The government's thrust is to become self-reliant in this segment.

Soyabean, groundnut, sesamum, sunflower seeds and niger are key oilseeds grown during the kharif season, sowing of which begins with the onset of southwest monsoon from June, and harvesting from October onwards. As per the ministry's data, farmers have planted soyabean in 118.99 lakh hectares till August 14 of this kharif season as against 111.46 lakh hectares in the year-ago period.

The area under the groundnut crop has increased to 49.37 lakh hectares from 35.01 lakh hectares, while that of sesame seeds to 12.80 lakh hectares from 11.82 lakh hectares and castor seed to 4.18 lakh hectares from 3.83 lakh hectares in the said period. Besides, area under pulses has increased marginally to 124.01 lakh hectares so far this kharif season from 121.50 lakh hectares in the same period last year.

Rice, the main kharif crop, has been planted in 14 per cent more area at 1,015.58 lakh hectares so far this kharif season as against 935.70 lakh hectares a year ago. Coarse cereals has been planted in 168.12 lakh hectares as against 162.28 lakh hectares in the said period.

Among cash crops, cotton has been sown in a slightly higher area at 125.48 lakh hectares so far this kharif season, as against 121.58 lakh hectares a year ago. Sugarcane has been planted in 52.02 lakh hectares as against 51.40 lakh hectares, while that of jute in 6.96 lakh hectares as against 6.85 lakh hectares in the said period.

Total area under all kharif crops has increased by 8.5 per cent to 1,015.58 lakh hectares so far in the 2020-21 kharif season as against 935.70 lakh hectares a year ago, the ministry data showed. Till August 13, the actual rainfall received in the country was higher at 578.2 mm against normal of 569.2 mm. As per the Central Water Commission, 123 reservoirs have 88 per cent of live storage of corresponding period of last year.