Rain dearth, low reservoirs crop rabi sowing by 26 lakh hectare

Sowing as of December 14, which accounts for ~81% of the total sowing in rabi season, was down 5.25% on-yearto 476 lakh hectare compared with 502.5 lakh hectare in the previous rabi season.

This is of concern, because the rabi crop accounts for ~40% of India’s agricultural produce (based on key 14 cropswhich account for 97% of total agricultural produce except sugarcane and horticulture crops), in both volume andvalue terms.

While all major crops have seen a decline in area sown, crops that account for ~5-7% of total rabi production haveshown an increase and wheat that contributes over 65% to total rabi production has remained flat. Coarse cerealshave seen a sharp decline of ~20.4% on-year, with the maximum shortfall being in Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Pulses sowing has dropped ~9.3% on-year, with the maximum shortfall in Maharashtra.

The area under oilseeds has fallen ~0.5%, with key states like Haryana and Karnataka logging declines.

Sowing of paddy is down ~28%. For the record, paddy contributes ~15% of total rabi production. Also, less than 15%of total paddy production is in the rabi season.