Rabi wheat sowing down 27% at 117.32 lakh hectare so far

New Delhi: Wheat sowing has declined by 27 percent to 117.32 lakh hectares so far this rabi season due to lack of moisture content in soil and late harvest of Kharif crops.

Area under coverage for wheat stood at 161.57 lakh hectare in the year-ago period.

"As per preliminary reports received from the states. The total area sown under rabi crops as on 27th November, 2015 stands to 317.96 lakh hectares," an official statement said.

Total area under rabi (winter-sown) crops stood at 372.61 lakh hectares in the same period last year.

"Wheat has been sown/transplanted in 117.32 lakh hectares, pulses in 90.91 lakh hectare, coarse cereals in 44.4 lakh hectares, oilseeds in 57.08 lakh hectares and rice in 8.26 lakh hectares," it added.

Rice acreage has declined to 8.26 lakh hectares so far during this rabi season from 10.04 lakh hectares in the year ago period.

Pulses sowing fell to 90.91 lakh hectares from 97.80 lakh hectares during the period under review.

However, the area under coverage for coarse cereals have gone up to 44.40 lakh hectares from 37.48 lakh hectares.

In non-foodgrain category, sowing area of oilseeds fell to 57.08 lakh hectares from 65.73 lakh hectares.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said: "The area sown to wheat so far is lower than the year-ago period but there is no cause of concern at present. Sowing operations will pick up soon in key growing states like Punjab and Haryana."

According to farm scientists, wheat sowing has not yet picked up due to less soil moisture following deficient monsoon rains. Also, the harvesting of kharif crops has got delayed and farmers are in the process of preparing field by clearing the residues of crops like rice.