Wheat sowing this season dips 3% to 279.6 lakh hectares

NEW DELHI: Wheat acreage has declined by 3 per cent to 279.6 lakh hectares so far in the ongoing rabi season as against the area sown under the crop in the same period last year.

Area sown under coarse cereals, pulses and oilseeds is also lesser in the winter sowing season as compared to the year-ago period.

"Wheat's sowing area is at 279.6 lakh hectares as compared to last year's 286.90 lakh hectares," an official release said today.

Area under sowing of coarse cereals stood at 50.12 lakh hectares as compared to 54.99 lakh hectares in the year-ago period. Pulses acreage also fell to 124.16 lakh hectares against 134.72 lakh hectares in the corresponding period last year.

"Similarly sowing area under total oilseeds is at 74.06 lakh hectares as compared to 79.03 lakh hectares last year," the statement said.

As per the data released by the Agriculture Ministry, the total area coverage under rabi crops stood at 530.22 lakh hectares as against 557.85 lakh hectares in the year-ago period.

Sowing of rabi crops starts from October, while harvesting begins from March. Wheat is a major rabi crop.

Production of foodgrains (comprising rice, wheat, pulses and coarse cereals) in 2013-14 crop year (July-June) stood at 264.77 million tonnes.