Mumbai, 11 Sep (Commoditiescontrol): Recent data from the Ministry of Agriculture indicates a concerning drop in the area sown to pulses during the ongoing kharif season, primarily attributed to an 11% monsoon rain deficit across the country. As of last week, the area devoted to pulses has declined by 8.58% to 119.91 lakh hectares, compared to 131.17 lakh hectares in the same period last year.
The sowing of kharif crops usually commences with the onset of the southwestern summer monsoons that span from June through September. While paddy remains the dominant kharif crop, the season also includes the cultivation of pulses, oilseeds, cotton, and sugarcane.
Paddy Sowing on the Rise, Pulses Lagging
Despite the decrease in pulses, the area sown to paddy has seen an uptick, from 392.81 lakh hectares last year to 403.41 lakh hectares till September 8 of the current kharif season. However, the sowing of pulses is notably lagging, with significant declines observed in key producing states like Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.
State-wise Pulse Sowing Data
Madhya Pradesh reported the most substantial drop in pulses acreage, with 19.72 lakh hectares this year as against 23.44 lakh hectares in the year-ago period. Karnataka followed suit with a decline from 20.07 lakh hectares to 16.70 lakh hectares, and Maharashtra from 18.89 lakh hectares to 16.15 lakh hectares.
Interestingly, Rajasthan saw an increase in pulses acreage to 35.30 lakh hectares from last year's 33.99 lakh hectares, offering some compensation for the lag in other states.
Varietal Breakdown
Specific pulse varieties also experienced a drop in cultivation:
Area under tur: 42.92 lakh hectares (down from 45.61 lakh hectares)
Urad coverage: 31.89 lakh hectares (down from 37.08 lakh hectares)
Moonbean: 31.11 lakh hectares (down from 33.67 lakh hectares)
Kulthi: 31,000 hectares
Other pulses: 13.68 lakh hectares
Other Crops
While coarse cereals and oilseeds saw marginal fluctuations in sown area, cash crops like sugarcane experienced an increase to 59.91 lakh hectares from last year's 55.65 lakh hectares. Meanwhile, cotton sowing remained marginally lower at 125 lakh hectares.
Concerns Over Monsoon Deficits
According to the MeT Department, there was an 11% deficit in overall monsoon rains from June 1 to September 6, affecting the sowing of pulses. Central India saw a 12% deficit, while the south peninsula reported an 11% shortfall in rainfall.
(By Commoditiescontrol Bureau: 09820130172)
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