TAD NewsDesk, NEW DELHI: Crop planting in the Indian agricultural scene has seen a tremendous growth of 4.8% since the last year. A record-setting figure of 111.68 million hectares is currently under cultivation, which may produce a large surplus yield. Out of the total area – 40.17 million hectares is under rice cultivation, and on 13.93 million hectares, pulses are grown.
“Harvesting for cotton, pulses, oilseeds and coarse cereals like bajra, bake and ragi has also started. So far, Harvesting has been completed across 6.5% of the total sown area,” informed a senior agriculture ministry official.
The increase in area under oilseeds is expected to help India be self-reliant in cooking oil supply. While parts of Eastern India are still sowing crops, Punjab and Haryana farmers have begun harvesting rice.
“Harvesting for cotton, pulses, oilseeds and coarse cereals like bajra, bake and ragi has also started. So far, Harvesting has been completed across 6.5% of the total sown area,” said a senior agriculture ministry official.
“We expect a good harvest of all crops. Even areas under coarse cereals like maize, ragi and bajra have seen a significant rise. This will boost the government’s plan to export nutri-cereals, which are in great demand at global markets after Covid-19 pandemic,” the official said.
The government expressed pleasure at the prospect of having yet another bumper harvest. The production of foodgrains is estimated at 144.52 million tonnes this year’s Kharif season, owing to the increase in crop planting.
The newly appointed Agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar has credited the massive yield to farmers’ early preparation and quick supply of inputs like seeds, pesticides, fertilizers, and machinery to facilitate cultivation. The overwhelming harvest this year was also helped by the substantial upswing in rainfall.
