Date:06/02/2006 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/02/06/stories/2006020600760700.htm

Back Rise in coverage of most rabi crops

Our Bureau

Chennai , Feb. 5

COVERAGE of most crops has increased during the current rabi season, even as sowing draws to an end.

According to the Agriculture Ministry, the total area under rabi crops has increased to 592.93 lakh hectares (lh) compared with 572.31 lh during the corresponding period a year ago. It is also 37 lh more than the normal area under rabi crops.

Bountiful monsoon, conducive weather and good soil moisture have helped in the improved coverage of crops. The crops that lagged behind are jowar, safflower, groundnut and linseed but the drop in coverage in all these is meagre.

As per the Ministry, wheat sowing has increased by 3.61 lh mainly on better coverage in Gujarat, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttaranchal and West Bengal.

These States have made up for tardy progress in Madhya Pradesh, where the area covered under wheat is lower by over six lh.

Coverage of rice, which had been lagging behind, has improved considerably. Currently, its coverage is up 3.45 lh at 20.81 lh compared with last year.

With Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh getting good rains during the south-west monsoon, area under rice has increased in these States totally by 3.7 lh.

Sowing in coarse cereals has improved marginally with the area under jowar and maize dipping.

Jowar coverage has slipped in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, while maize sowing is down in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.

Barley coverage has gained mainly on interests in Haryana and Rajasthan.

Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have been primarily responsible for the area under rapeseed/mustard rising to 73.04 lh from 68.74 lh last year. But coverage under groundnut, safflower and linseed has dipped.

Area under pulses has increased by 6.51 lh, mainly due to rise in coverage of gram by 5.7 lh.

The Ministry has also reported a better water storage position in the 76 major reservoirs of the country.

The total storage level is 76.87 billion cubic metres (BCM), which is 25.10 BCM or 48 per cent more than last year.

It is also 25 per cent more than the last 10 year's average storage level.

Though no reservoir has non-utilisable water, the storage level of 11 of these is less than 30 per cent of their capacity.