To date, crops have been sown on 67.87 lakh hectares against 58.26 lakh hectares during the corresponding period of last year, an increase by 9.61 lakh hectares, the Agriculture Ministry said.

This despite the country registering a rainfall deficit of 44 per cent. The country received actual rainfall of 22.1 mm against the normal of 39.5 mm, a deficiency of 44 per cent from March 1 and April 8, according to the government data.

There is also no impact of Covid on the progress of area coverage under summer crops in the country. Meanwhile, the live water storage in 130 reservoirs in the country is 83 per cent. So far, pulses have been sown on 8.68 lakh hectares against last year’s 5.72 lakh hectares, registering an increase of 2.96 lakh hectares. Area under coarse cereals is 10.86 lakh hectares against last year’s 8.54 lakh hectares.

Source: The Tribune