Wheat acreage in India up marginally at 26.6 million ha, pulses area down at 13.4 million ha
24 Dec 2011
The area under wheat in the country so far during the current crop year has risen marginally by 0.57 lakh hectares to 26.55 million hectares from 26.49 million hectares during the comparable period last year.
The increase in wheat acreage has come mainly from states like Madhya Pradesh (up 6 lakh hectares), Rajasthan (up 3.12 lakh hectares), Chhatisgarh (up 0.25 lakh hectares) and Jharkhand (0.16 lakh hectares).
With rice transplanting in progress in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Odisha, the total acreage under rice cultivation so far is lower at 2.05 lakh hectares, against 2.26 lakh hectares during the corresponding period last year, registering a decline of 0.21 lakh hectare, so far.
Area under pulses has also been lower at 13.42 million hectare as against 13.52 million hectares last year. The area under gram, which is a dominant rabi crop, has been reported at 8.58 million hectares against 8.97 million hectares during the corresponding period last year.
Total area under oilseed crops is reported to be 7.79 million hectares against 8.31 million hectares last year.
