Rabi crops: India

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This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content.

Sown area

2017: highest acreage in recent years

Vishwa Mohan, Govt data shows note ban hasn't hit sowing, Jan 28 2017: The Times of India

Sown area at the fag end of Rabi-sowing season, 2012-17; Vishwa Mohan, Govt data shows note ban hasn't hit sowing, Jan 28 2017: The Times of India

With 4-5 days still to go for sowing operation of rabi crops, the country is looking at the prospect of having the highest acreage of winter crops in the past five years. Adding to the good news, rains in some parts of the country in the past couple of days could also mean a better yield situation as well. Latest sown area data, released by the agriculture ministry on Friday , seems to indicate that the fear of demonetisation leading to a drop in farm yields due to cash-strapped farmers inability to access inputs was largely unfounded. It clearly shows that the acreage of major rabi crops (wheat and pulses) has not only crossed the corresponding figures of last year but also beat the `normal' (expected under positive conditions) sown area of the season.

Total rabi sown area as on Friday stands at 637.34 lakh hectares as compared to 600.02 lakh hectares at this time last year (over 6% higher). It has almost touched the `normal' rabi sown area (638.37 lakh ha) in what could be a clear sign that the sowing operation was not affected by the note ban the way it was feared in mid-November.

“Farmers do not need to depend on the market to buy their entire requirement of seeds. As far as other inputs including fertilisers are concerned, they could probably manage it with the system where they can easily get things on credit in rural areas“, said an official.

Figures of acreage for wheat and pulses are, in fact, encouraging as sown areas of both these crops crossed their `normal' area by a good margin. The sown area under wheat stands at 315.55 lakh hectares as compared to its `normal' area of 304.05 lakh hectares. It was 292.52 lakh hectares at this time last year.

Barring winter rice and coarse cereals, other rabi crops have shown much improved acreage.

“Since farmers are still left with 4-5 days of sowing operation, it is expected that the acreage this year will cross the 642.89 lakh hectares mark of the year 2013-14 when the country had witnessed good monsoon rains“, said an official in the agriculture ministry who is tracking the development.

2022-23

Vishwa Mohan, February 4, 2023: The Times of India

Acreage of all crops, 2021-23; Acreage of major crops- wheat, pulses, oilseeds, nurti-cum-coarse cereals, 2021-23
From: Vishwa Mohan, February 4, 2023: The Times of India

NEW DELHI: Overall acreage of Rabi crops in the country during 2022-23 is higher by nearly 23 lakh hectares (over 3%) compared to previous year and around 87 lakh hectares (nearly 14%) more than the normal (average of the last five years) sown area, but the high-focused nutri-cum-coarse cereals, including millets, could not make the similar pace. The coarse cereals, in fact, recorded less than normal acreage while reporting only marginally higher sown area compared to 2021-22.

The other high-focused Rabil crops, the oilseeds, on the other hand, made substantial progress by reporting nearly 8% more acreage than the previous year and huge 39% more than its normal sown area. Sowing of Rabi crops – wheat, oilseeds including mustard, coarse grains (millets and maize), pulses and winter paddy – happens between October-January.

Though all the main Rabi crops reported higher acreage than their respective normal sown areas, the performance of nutri-cereals, comprising millets, does not appear to be encouraging sign to begin the International Year of Millets 2023 when the government is trying to make India a global hub for millets.

It is largely believed that the farmers won't go for increasing acreage of millets (Jowar, Bajra and Ragi) in a big way unless the government goes for procurement of these climate-resilient nutri-cereals like it does for wheat and paddy (rice).

Among the oilseeds, rapeseed & mustard contributed maximum in increasing sown area during this Rabi season. According to final acreage figures of Rabil crop for the 2022-23 season, released by the agriculture ministry on Friday, Mustard's acreage is markedly higher by around 55% than normal sown area.

"The higher area and productivity will see a quantum jump in oilseeds production and bring down demand for imported edible oils," said an official on increased acreage of oilseeds, specifically the mustard.

Asked about the not so encouraging result of coarse grains including millets, the official said the sown area is expected to increase during the year as many states, including Odisha and Haryana, have lined up with multiple measures including incentives to help farmers for crop diversification.

The ministry’s data shows the total sown area under Rabi crops has increased from 697.98 lakh hectares in 2021-22 to 720.68 lakh hectares in 2022-23.

The increase in area compared to the previous year (2021-22) is across all crops with the winter paddy (rice) recording the highest rise. Out of nearly 23 lakh hectares increase in all Rabi crops, the increase in winter paddy area is 11 lakh hectares -- from 35 lakh hectares in 2021-22 to 46 lakh hectares in 2022-23. However, this is lower than the normal sown area of 48 lakh hectares. Maximum increase in area under winter paddy is in states of Telangana and West Bengal.