Kharif sowing crosses 99% of target so far last year
India's kharif crop sowing was off to a strong start last year—by August 8, farmers had planted over 995 lakh hectares, crossing 90% of the usual target and even beating the previous year by 4%.
Good monsoon rains in June and July definitely helped move things along.
What's up and down?
Rice (paddy) planting jumped by 12%, and there's a small boost for pulses like urad and moong—though arhar slipped nearly 5%. Maize saw big gains too.
On the flip side, less land went to cotton and oilseeds (like soybean and groundnut), both down about 3-4%.
Sugarcane and jute sowing are basically wrapped up.
Uneven rains, but overall yields should be normal
While central and northwest India got plenty of rain, the east and northeast fell short by 17%.
Experts say overall yields should be normal if things stay steady—but warn that too much rain in September could bring more crop diseases.
So, fingers crossed for smooth weather ahead!