Paddy cultivation in Telangana goes up by 7 per cent as national average dips by 5.9 per cent

In the nation-wide data released by the union Agriculture Ministry on Friday, the Telangana State recorded over seven per cent growth in paddy sown area during the ongoing Vaanakalam (Kharif) season when compared to last Vaanakalam season.

Hyderabad: Telangana recorded over seven per cent growth in paddy sown area during the ongoing Vaanakalam (Kharif) season when compared to last Vaanakalam season. Till date, paddy sowing operations have been completed in about 45.69 lakh acres against 42.47 lakh acres during last Vaanakalam season.

However, the nation-wide data released by the union Agriculture Ministry on Friday, suggested that India was lagging behind in paddy cultivation and recorded a decline by 5.99 per cent to 908.23 lakh acres (367.55 lakh hectares) so far during the ongoing kharif season. The Ministry attributed the slow operations to shortage of rains for less coverage in some States. The paddy was sown in around 966.15 lakh acres (390.99 lakh hectares) during last Kharif season.

---

Paddy sowing for Vaanakalam season begins with the onset of the southwest monsoon from June and harvesting from October onwards. As per the data, less paddy area was reported from Jharkhand, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Odisha as on Friday.

Besides paddy, there was a 4.95 per cent decline in total pulses area to 315.57 lakh acres (127.71 lakh ha) till Friday against 332 lakh acres (134.37 lakh ha) during last Kharif season. Similarly, Telangana too witnessed slow sowing operations in terms of pulses cultivation which has been cutdown to 65 per cent area with just 6.43 lakh acres this season compared to 10.68 per cent during last Vaanakalam season.

The country was also lagging marginally in terms of oilseeds coverage area at 460.8 lakh acres (186.48 lakh ha) during the current Vaanakalam season against 466 lakh acres (188.62 lakh ha) last year. However, Telangana recorded significant growth from 3.73 lakh acres during last Vaanakalam season to 4.09 lakh acres this season.