New Delhi, Aug 12, 2022, By Special Correspondent
New Delhi, Aug 12: Rice growing states, including Tripura and West Bengal, have reported less kharif paddy sowing due to deficient rains this monsoon.
According to the latest data released by the Agriculture ministry, area sown to paddy was lower at 309.79 lakh hectares till August 12 of the ongoing kharif season compared with 353.62 lakh hectare in the year-ago period.
In West Bengal, paddy sowing was less at 24.3 lakh hectares as against 35.53 lakh hectares in the same period, while in Jharkhand, paddy has been sown in only 3.88 lakh hectares so far this season, down from 15.25 lakh hectares in the year-ago period.
Paddy sowing is lower by 12.39 per cent at 309.79 lakh hectares so far in the ongoing kharif season due to a lag in coverage, especially in Jharkhand and West Bengal, according to the agriculture ministry.
Less coverage under paddy has also been reported from Tripura, Meghalaya, Sikkim and Mizoram in the north eastern region.
Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Karnataka and Goa too reported less coverage.
Paddy is the main kharif crop, sowing of which begins with the onset of southwest monsoon from June. About 80 per cent of the country's total production comes from this season.
As per the Met Department, the country overall has received 8 per cent higher southwest monsoon rains between June 1 and August 10 of this year but 16 per cent less rains was reported in Eastern and North Eastern parts of the country.