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

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.