India - Paddy acreage rises by over 4% despite 6% deficit in monsoon rainfall, sown area of pulses dips

By Vishwa Mohan

Water-guzzling paddy reported higher acreage (over 4% higher) this year compared to its sown area during the corresponding period of last year despite the country reporting 6% deficit in cumulative monsoon rainfall as on Friday. It indicates that the country may not face rice output shortage during the current crop year. The depressed rainfall in August, however, affected other crops including pulses and oilseeds.

Though the overall acreage of all Kharif (summer sown) crops put together remained flat at around 1,022 lakh hectares, paddy’s sown area figured at 360 lakh hectares which is 15 lakh hectares more than its acreage during corresponding period in 2022.

″It can be attributed to good rainfall in northwest India (8% higher than normal) and farmers' continued use of groundwater and other sources of irrigation to go for paddy sowing,″ said an official, citing examples of higher acreage of paddy in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh.

He said, ″Drought proofing of India’s agriculture over the years in terms of strengthening irrigation infrastructure too shows result. We have seen a deficit of 20% in monsoon rainfall in east & northeast India but three rice producing states in the east such as West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand showed higher acreage in 2023 compared to the previous year.″

Acreage of pulses, oilseeds, Jute and cotton, however, reported dip as on Friday. Sown area of pulses appears to be the biggest worry at this juncture as this major Kharif crop reported over 9% lower acreage this year compared to 2022.

Acreage data, released by agriculture ministry, shows that the country reported sown area of pulses at 115 lakh hectares as on Friday compared to 127 lakh hectares in 2022. Acreage of oilseeds figured at 186 lakh hectares this year compared to 189 lakh hectares last year.

Besides paddy, acreage of coarse cereals and sugarcane too reported higher sown area.