Due to better monsoon rains as compared to same period in 2014, sowing of kharif crops has crossed 563 lakh hectares as on July 17, which is nearly 62% more compared to 346.34 lakh hectares reported at this time last year, according to latest data from the Ministry of Agriculture.
According to data, rice had been sown/transplanted in 132.11 lakh ha (as compared to 126.55 lakh ha at this time last year), pulses in 55.99 lakh ha (23.92 lakh ha), coarse cereals in 102.35 lakh ha (47.65 lakh ha) and oilseeds in 127.12 lakh ha (38.07 lakh ha). Sugarcane had been sown in 44.80 lakh ha (46.09 lakh ha), jute & mesta in 7.76 lakh ha (8.07 lakh ha) and cotton in 93.22 lakh ha (55.99 lakh ha).