Cash crops acreage still down as sowing enters last phase

India’s paddy sowing during the ongoing kharif season rose to 36.88 million hectare as on September 11, up from around 35.03 million hectare during the same period last year, but acreage of major cash crops like cotton and sugarcane continued to lag as planting slowly comes to a close. According to an official statement, coarse cereals, which includes jowar, bajra and maize was sown in 19.52 million hectares till September 11, down from 21.01 million a year earlier.

Officials said coarse cereals sowing have been hit because of a fall in the area under maize, one of the largest-grown cereals during the kharif season. Among oilseeds, most of which are sown during the kharif season, the total area as on September 11 was estimated at 17.65 million hectare, up from 17.31 million a year earlier. “Although, overall oilseeds sowing has risen, there is some fall in groundnut planting because of less rains in some key growing provinces,” sources said. Pulses have been planted in 10.18 million hectare; down from 12.02 million a year earlier, also because of low rains. Cash crops continued to be badly hit because of low rains during the crucial flowering and growing months.

The statement showed that cotton has been planted in 9.05 million hectare, down from 9.09 million a year earlier. “Cotton sowing, which started very slowly, has picked up pace in Maharashtra and Gujarat because of late showers,” a Mumbai-based trader said. Sugarcane has been planted in 4.41 million hectare, down from 5.3 million a year earlier.Sowing for kharif crops starts in June and usually completes by end September. However, this year, sowing lost tempo around mid-July as rains receeded in most parts of central and western India.

Experts believe that the farmers lost interest in sowing crucial cash crops like pulses, cotton and sugarcane due to this very reason. “Sugarcane in any case was a matter of concern for all because of low realisations to farmers, since the last two years, but the fall in acreage in other crops is what should alarm us all,” another trader said.