Area under rice, other major crops exceeds last year’s coverage
	17:18 IST

The area coverage of kharif crops as compared to 14th September last year has gone up considerably as per data compiled by Agriculture Ministry. The total coverage of kharif rice has gone up to 355.73 lakh ha as compared to 355.16 lakh hectare last year, the weekly Crop Weather Watch Group meeting of the Ministry of Agriculture was informed here today. Transplanting is at ending stage in the states of Gujarat, Haryana, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal. In rest of the states transplanting is at peak. The sowing of various coarse cereals has ended in almost all states. The area coverage under jowar, so far, is 33.92 lakh ha against 34.98 lakh ha during last year, under bajra 82.17 lakh ha against 78.23 lakh ha last year, maize 76.17 lakh ha against 71.74 lakh ha last year and total coarse cereals 213.33 lakh ha against 202.53 lakh ha during the corresponding period of last year. The area covered under cotton so far is 90.68 lakh ha against 86.89 lakh ha during the corresponding period of last year. Out of this 53.32 lakh ha is under Bt Cotton. The total coveage under sugarcane has been reported at 51.04 lakh hectare against 48.32 lakh ha during the corresponding period last year. The coverage under jute has been reported at 8.29 lakh ha against 8.18 lakh ha during the corresponding period of last year. Mesta has been sown in 1.48 lakh ha against 1.53 lakh ha during the corresponding period of last year. The total coverage of oilseeds so far has been 173.01 lakh ha as compared to 161.72 lakh ha on September 13, last year. Soyabean has been sown in 8 % and groundnut in 13% higher area as compared to that in 2006. Pulses cover an area of 121.25 lakh ha against 110.35 lakh ha up to this time last year. MP:CP:weatherwatch(14.9.2007)