Kharif crops have been sown in 889.23 lakh ha area  so far. It is about 79.65 lakh ha more than the acreage on this date last year (807.82lakh ha).  This comes to 10.08 % increase in acreage.

As per data received from States, paddy has been sown in 274.06 lakh hectare as compared to 251.24 lakh ha on this date last year, showing an increase of  22.82 lakh ha over the same period. This represents an increase of 9.08 %.

Pulses have been sown in 103.21 lakh ha so far which is 17.33  lakh ha more than this time last season. This represents an increase of 23.50 %.

Coarse cereals have been sown in 193.61 lakh ha,  19.42 lakh ha more as compared to last year (11.49 %).   Among the coarse cereals, acreage of bajra has sown the highest increase as compared to last year (from 67.31 lakh ha to 81.20 lakh ha or increase of (20.63%). 

The cropped areas for major crops as on 12^h August this year and last year are as follows:

                                                                                                            lakh hectare

NEW DELHI: Wheat procurement has dropped nearly six per cent to 22.41 million tonnes so far in the current marketing year that commenced on April 1, despite record production.

According to Government data, procurement stood at 23.88 mt in the corresponding period of the previous year.

The Government expects to procure 24.5-25 mt in the 2010-11 marketing year (April-March) against a record 25.4 mt last year, the Food and Agriculture Minister, Mr Sharad Pawar, said earlier this month.

However, the states have set a target of procuring 26.2 mt.

Wheat procurement, the bulk of which is conducted between April and June, is down in all major states, barring Madhya Pradesh.

According to Food Corporation of India (FCI) data, Punjab has contributed the most to the central pool at 10.17 mt this marketing year, though this is nearly five per cent less than the 10.71 mt purchased during the same period last year.

FCI has procured 6.33 mt from Haryana, over eight per cent lower than the 6.91 mt it purchased last year.

Wheat procurement from Madhya Pradesh, on the other hand, has registered over two-fold growth so far this year to 3.53 mt from 1.78 mt a year ago.

FCI and other state agencies have procured 1.63 mt from Uttar Pradesh this year against 3.09 mt in the corresponding period last year.

The Centre procures foodgrains at a minimum support price (MSP) to protect farmers from market fluctuations. The MSP for wheat has been fixed at Rs 1,100 per quintal for the 2010-11 marketing year.

India’s wheat production was pegged at a record 80.98 mt in 2009-10 as per the third advance estimates floated by the Government, which is marginally higher than the output of 80.68 mt in the previous year. — PTI