Govt says 44 pc of rabi crops area harvested so far

New Delhi,  Harvesting of wheat and other rabi crops have been completed in 44 per cent of the total 697 lakh hectares sown area during 2020-21 rabi season, according to data released by the agriculture ministry on Friday.

Harvesting of rabi (winter) crops begins from March. The main rabi crop is wheat.

As per the ministry”s data, wheat crop has been harvested in 64.96 lakh hectares, 21 per cent of the estimated total cultivated area of 315.77 lakh hectares during the rabi season of the 2020-21 crop year (July-June).

Pulses like gram have been harvested in 106.07 lakh hectares, 67 per cent of the total sown area of 158.09 lakh hectares in the season.

The ministry said pulses crops are reported to be in good condition.

In case of oilseeds, harvesting has been completed in 72.71 per cent of total estimated cultivated area of 80.01 lakh hectares during the season and the crops” condition is reported to be normal.

Harvesting of coarse cereal crops like jowar have been finished in 64 per cent of the total cultivated area of 49.22 lakh hectares. The ministry, however, said harvesting has not yet commenced in barley.

In the case of sugarcane, more than 76 per cent harvesting has been done so far. About 48.51 lakh hectares was estimated total coverage under sugarcane in the rabi season of 2020-21.

In areas where harvesting has been completed, farmers have begun sowing early kharif crops of 2021-22 crop year (July-June).

The planting of rice, the main kharif (summer) crop, has increased by 18 per cent to 35.05 lakh hectares so far from over the year-ago period.

Sowing of other kharif crops has also started on a small scale.

In total, total kharif crops have been sown in 50.90 lakh hectares so far in the kharif season of 2021-22.

Normally, sowing of kharif crops commences from June with the onset of the southwest monsoon. PTI