Wheat sowing rises 7%, pulse acreage up 11% this Rabi season

The Dollar Business Bureau

Notwithstanding the government’s demonetisation scheme, sowing area of wheat increased 7% to 313.14 lakh hectares this season, while that of pulses also went up 11% to 157.68 lakh hectares so far during the ongoing Rabi (winter-sown) season.

"As per preliminary reports received from the states, the total area sown under Rabi crops as on January 20, 2017, stands at 628.34 lakh hectares as compared to 592.36 lakh hectare this time in 2016," said an official statement. 

On November 8, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation of Rs.500 and Rs.1000 notes, generating countrywide speculations that the cleanup drive will enormously hit the country’s agriculture sector.

But thanks to good monsoon and higher support price, wheat was sown in 313.14 lakh hectares this rabi season as against 291.97 lakh hectares during the same period last year. Pulse acreage has also grown, from 142.01 lakh hectares to 157.68 lakh hectares. 

Oilseed sowing area has also expanded to 81.91 lakh hectares this season from 76.46 lakh hectares last.

However, acreage of paddy fell to 19.36 lakh hectares this rabi season, from 22.45 lakh hectares during the same period last year. Coarse cereals sowing area dropped to 56.25 lakh hectares from 59.47 lakh hectares.