Despite lockdown hurdles, sowing of summer crops up
#GS3 #Agriculture #Environment
More area under rice, pulses, oilseeds: Agriculture Ministry
- Early sowing of the summer rice crop has covered 37% more area than the same time the previous year.
- This is the pre-monsoon sowing of paddy, with the major kharif crop sowing to be done after the rains begin in June.
- Overall sowing of summer crops, including rice, pulses, coarse cereals and oil seeds, is about 31% higher than usual. In total, 48.8 lakh hectares have been sown so far.
Availability of fertilizers
- The Centre has exempted agricultural activity from the lockdown restrictions and has also taken steps to ensure availability of fertilizers and pesticides for the coming season.
- Pulses have also seen a significant increase in early sowing, with more acreage covered in green gram and black gram.
- Overall, there was a 32% jump from about 3 lakh hectares to 4 lakh hectares.
- The growth in oilseeds is more modest with a 12% increase in sowing area to 6.7 lakh hectares.
- Most of the hike comes from more land sown with groundnuts.
