New Delhi (PTI): The acreage of wheat, has surged by about four lakh hectares in the on-going Rabi season, which was had registered dismal progress till last week.

According to the data released by the Agriculture Ministry, the sowing area under wheat stands at 118.03 lakh hectares (LH) till fRIday as against 114.12 LH in the year-ago period.

Wheat acreage was 83.78 LH till November 21 as against 84.99 LH in the corresponding period last season.

The areas under pulses and oilseeds continue to be higher than what they are in last Rabi.

The coverage of pulses has increased to 93.3 LH from 76.85 LH and that of oilseeds to 76.31 LH from 69.82 LH, the data showed.

The 21 per cent increase in overall Rabi pulses area is mainly due to more coverage in chana (gram) and masoor (lentil).

The chana acreage as on November 27 stands at 61.96 LH as compared with 52.45 LH in the corresponding period last year. Similarly, area under masoor goes to 10.59 LH from 8 LH.

There is also good news for the oil industry, which has been lobbying to restrict import of edible oils, as the overall area under Rabi oilseeds has went up by nine per cent to 76.31 LH from 69.82 LH on the strength of higher acreage of mustard. The coverage under mustard has increased to 58.4 LH from 52.81 LH.

There has been more coverage of mustard in major growing states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana. The area under sunflower sowing has increased in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.