NEW DELHI: Sowing of rabi wheat and oilseeds has been more than last year, although coarse cereals and pulses are yet to equal last year's level.

A high-level Agriculture Ministry meeting here on Monday was informed that sowing of wheat had begun in all States concerned. The total coverage is 51.23 lakh hectares against 45.32 lakh hectares during the corresponding period last year. Higher coverage was reported from Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Punjab, however, has reported lower coverage ostensibly due to diversification.

Fall in coarse

cereals, pulses

The total coverage under coarse cereals is 45.19 lakh hectares, down from 47.28 lakh hectares during the corresponding period last year. Under jowar it is 39.96 lakh hectares (41.52 lakh hectares), barley 2.60 lakh hectares (2.14 lakh hectares) and maize 2.41 lakh hectares (2.69 lakh hectares).

Under pulses, the area covered is 61.62 lakh hectares compared to 62.50 lakh hectares last year, although the extent under gram is higher. Under oilseeds it is 75.86 lakh hectares (73.03 lakh hectares). Higher coverage of mustard, rapeseed, sunflower and sesame has been reported. Groundnut, safflower and linseed are yet to reach last year's mark.

Groundnut cultivation has suffered a setback due to heavy rainfall in Tamil Nadu earlier this month. However, the area under the crop may increase, thanks to diversification in Andhra Pradesh.

Sesame area is slightly more than last year's due to higher coverage in Tamil Nadu.

Sowing of oilseeds has not yet begun in West Bengal and Bihar. The area under linseed is lower due to less coverage in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

The total live storage in 76 important reservoirs is 105.12 billion cubic metres (BCM) against 78.29 BCM last year during the corresponding period.

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