NEW DELHI:
Data received from states show that paddy has been sown in 46.46 lakh hectares, compared with 24.12 lakh hectares a week ago. Although that appears to be a marked improvement, it is only about one lakh hectares more than area under paddy cultivation on this date last year,
The slow progress of the southwest monsoon is unlikely to affect the overall paddy sowing area in this kharif season, say experts. Rainfall has been deficient by about five per cent, which is estimated to have curtailed the paddy sowing area less by six per cent than this time last year. But overall acreage is expected to increase with the progress of the monsoon.
The Union agriculture ministry had forecast the total paddy acreage area to expand to 42 million hectares (ha) in 2010-11 as against 36.1 million ha last year, which experts believe is too ambitious.
The US Department of Agriculture had estimated India’s total rice output to rise by 16 per cent to 99 million tonnes on normal monsoon expectations.
Last year, total rice output fell 12 per cent to 87.5 mt, owing to a poor monsoon, from a bumper 99.2 mt in 2008-09. About 80-85 per cent of paddy is sown in the kharif season and 15-20 per cent in the rabi season. India is the world’s second-largest rice producer.
The Union agriculture ministry says the total area sown was 1.097 million hectares (ha) as on June 18 (375,000 ha more than the previous week), as compared to 1.173 million ha on the same date last year, about 6.5 per cent less. However, sowing is still in a very early stage.
Among states where more area has been planted since last year are Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.
Paddy fields are common sight throughout India, be they northern gangetic plain or southern peninsular plateau. Paddy is cultivated at least twice a year in the most parts of India,the two seasons being known as Rabi & Kharif respectively. The former cultivation is dependent on irrigation while latter depends on Monsoon. The paddy cultivation plays a major role in socio-cultural life of rural India. Many festivals such as Bihu in Assam, Sankranthi in Andhra Pradesh Thai Pongal In Tamilnadu, Makara Sankranthi in Karnataka, Nabanna in West Bengal celebrates harvest of Paddy.
The slow progress of the southwest monsoon is unlikely to affect the overall paddy sowing area in this kharif season, say experts. Rainfall has been deficient by about five per cent, which is estimated to have curtailed the paddy sowing area less by six per cent than this time last year. But overall acreage is expected to increase with the progress of the monsoon.
The Union agriculture ministry had forecast the total paddy acreage area to expand to 42 million hectares (ha) in 2010-11 as against 36.1 million ha last year, which experts believe is too ambitious.
The US Department of Agriculture had estimated India’s total rice output to rise by 16 per cent to 99 million tonnes on normal monsoon expectations.
Last year, total rice output fell 12 per cent to 87.5 mt, owing to a poor monsoon, from a bumper 99.2 mt in 2008-09. About 80-85 per cent of paddy is sown in the kharif season and 15-20 per cent in the rabi season. India is the world’s second-largest rice producer.
The Union agriculture ministry says the total area sown was 1.097 million hectares (ha) as on June 18 (375,000 ha more than the previous week), as compared to 1.173 million ha on the same date last year, about 6.5 per cent less. However, sowing is still in a very early stage.
Among states where more area has been planted since last year are Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.
Paddy fields are common sight throughout India, be they northern gangetic plain or southern peninsular plateau. Paddy is cultivated at least twice a year in the most parts of India,the two seasons being known as Rabi & Kharif respectively. The former cultivation is dependent on irrigation while latter depends on Monsoon. The paddy cultivation plays a major role in socio-cultural life of rural India. Many festivals such as Bihu in Assam, Sankranthi in Andhra Pradesh Thai Pongal In Tamilnadu, Makara Sankranthi in Karnataka, Nabanna in West Bengal celebrates harvest of Paddy.
Farmers sowing paddy in Karnal, Haryana, India. (Photo: Ramkrishna)
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