Wheat acreage up 7%, pulses area rises 10%

Sowing area under wheat has risen by 7.4 per cent to 278.62 lakh hectares, while that of pulses is up 10 per cent to 138.25 lakh hectare so far in the current Rabi (winter-sown) season, helped by good monsoon and higher support price.

However, the acreage of paddy and coarse cereals is lower than last year.

"As per preliminary reports received from the states, the total area sown under Rabi crops as on 23 rd December, 2016 stands at 554.91 lakh hectares as compared to 523.40 lakh hectare this time in 2015," an official statement said.

Wheat has been sown in 278.62 lakh hectares so far this rabi season from 259.37 lakh hectares in the same period last year. Pulses acreage has grown to 138.25 lakh hectares from 125.73 lakh hectares.

Oilseeds sowing area has risen to 78.08 lakh hectares from 70.12 lakh hectares.

Paddy acreage has fallen, however, to 9.33 lakh hectares so far this rabi season from 13.27 lakh hectares in the same period last year. Coarse cereals sowing area, too, dropped to 50.63 lakh hectares from 54.91 lakh hectares.