Agriculture Ministry data: Rabi crops sown in more than 614 lakh hectares, wheat area increased by 2.15%

Wheat sowing area increased by 2.15% to 319.74 lakh hectares in the current Rabi season. It was 313 lakh hectares in the last season. Rabi crops were sown in more than 614 lakh hectares during this period. However, the area under oilseeds decreased by 5.14% to 96.15 lakh hectares.

According to the data released by the Agriculture Ministry on Monday, the area under pulses remained the same at 136.13 lakh hectares as of December 30 in the ongoing Rabi season. In this, gram has been sown in 93.98 lakh hectares and lentil in 17.43 lakh hectares. The sowing of coarse grains increased from 47.77 lakh hectares to 48.55 lakh hectares.

Talking about the sowing of other crops in the Rabi season, now paddy has been sown in 14.37 lakh hectares whereas last time it was sown in 13.61 lakh hectares. The area under the sowing of peas decreased marginally from 8.98 lakh hectares to 8.94 lakh hectares. Apart from this, peanut oilseed has held 3.32 lakh hectares under cultivation as compared to the last Rabi season.

About 90% of the country's groundwater is used for agriculture. According to the 2022 government assessment, the rate of groundwater extraction in the breadbasket states of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan is more than 100% due to unsustainable use of water resources. During the last monsoon, Uttar Pradesh recorded a 14% rainfall deficit while Assam recorded a 13% deficit.

Similarly, Haryana and Kerala recorded 10%, Odisha 12, Jharkhand 13, north-eastern Madhya Pradesh 15, Rajasthan 11, and West Bengal 7% less rainfall than normal. Along with this, most of the states did not receive any rainfall after mid-September due to which the situation in these states, which are already facing groundwater crisis, has started becoming difficult. About 90% of Rabi sowing has been done through borewells.

Whereas, so far 38.75 lakh hectares have been sown with Srianna or coarse grains. On the other hand, in the case of oilseeds, it has been recorded at 91.6 lakh hectares. During the same period in 2023-24, 40.45 lakh hectares of Srianna or coarse grains were sown. Oilseeds were also sown in 96.96 lakh hectares of area so far in the last season.