60% kharif sowing done in Rajasthan during ongoing monsoon

Out of the targeted 159.57 lakh hectares, over 60 percent sowing of kharif crops have been done in Rajasthan during the current monsoon season, a state government official said today.

Of the total targeted area of 159.57 lakh hectares, sowing in 105.97 lakh hectares has been done till July 27, and the process in the rest remaining area is being done, L N Bairwa, Joint Director (Statistics), State Agriculture Department said.

Cereals (paddy, jowar, bajra, maize, millets) have been sown in 43.97 lakh hectare area while pulses (moong, moth, urad, chaula, arhar and others) have been sown in 22 lakh hectares, the official said.

The sownarea of oilseeds (sesamum, groundnut, soyabean, and caster) is 17.17 lakh hectares and other crops have been sown in 1573.9 hectares against the targeted 4477 hectare. Gwar, cotton, sugarcane and other crops have also been sown, he said.

Sowing has been delayed due to comparatively less rainfall in western area. However, the official said that rainfall in the desert state of Rajasthan has been normal during the monsoon season so far.

Against the average rainfall of 225.74 mm from June 1 to July 27, the state recorded 302.94 mm rains, which is close to 15 percent more than the average, he added.