Crop sowing area declines in country, says Mohanbhai Kundaria

By admin - March 01, 2015 0

NEW DELHI: Informing to the upper house of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), Minister of State for Agriculture Mohanbhai Kundaria says, as per 2^nd Advance Estimates for 2014-15 released on 18^th February, 2015, total area coverage under rabi crops in the country is estimated at 614.69 lakh hectares, which is lower by 29.20 lakh hectares as compared to area coverage of 643.89 lakh hectares during rabi 2013-14.

Details of area coverage under major rabi crops during 2014-15 vis-a-vis rabi 2013-14 are as under:-

Crop

Rabi Area Coverage (Lakh Hectares)

2014-15*

2013-14

Rice

41.66

46.87

Wheat

303.23

304.73

Coarse Cereals

53.63

59.46

Pulses

136.81

148.84

Foodgrains

535.35

559.90

Oilseeds

79.34

84.00

Grand Total

614.69

643.89

* 2^nd Advance Estimate

Total area under gram during the current year is estimated at 83.58 lakh hectares which is lower by 15.8% as compared to estimated gram area of 99.27 lakh hectares during 2013-14.

With a marginal decline of 1.50 lakh hectares over the last year’s area of 304.73 lakh hectares, total area under wheat during 2014-15 is estimated 303.23 lakh hectares. However, as compared to total wheat area of 53.80 lakh hectares in the Madhya Pradesh during 2013-14, area under wheat in the State is estimated at 57.48 lakh hectares which is higher by 3.68 lakh hectares than the last year.