Indian farmers have sown 7% less land this summer

Indian farmers have sown 7% less land this summer
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Down To Earth
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Published on 22 Jul 2019
6.9% is the decline in the area of crops sown this summer according to the latest data by the Union Ministry of Agriculture published on July 19, 2019.

According to the data, Rice has been sown on 14 million hectares, down from 15.1 mln ha the same time previous year. This is 32% below the normal for the corresponding week. The area under soybeans has shrunk to 8 mln ha from 9 mln ha. Pulses acreage has also reduced 13% to the normal for the corresponding week. And similarly, the total acreage of coarse cereals and oilseeds has dropped by 12% and 13% respectively.

The total area of sowing has been reduced by 63% compared to the normal for the corresponding week, according to ministry data. Maze, however, was sown on almost as much as the 2018’s 5.5 mln ha

Indian farmers start planting rice, corn, cotton, soybeans, sugarcane, and peanuts from June 1, when the monsoon officially flags off. But this year, the southwestern monsoon has been short of the mark up to now. Rainfall was 20% below average for the week ending July 17, 2019. And the total deficit since June 1 has been 16%. Making the water levels of the main reservoirs were 24% below their storage capacity.

The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare keeps updating the provisional sowing figures as it gathers more information from the state governments.