Cotton sowing in India continues to lag despite good prices last year because of low rainfall in Maharashtra, the country’s main cotton growing area, an official statement said Friday.
As per the latest government data, cotton has been planted in around 3.92 million hectare till July 11, down 38% from last year. Sowing for this key cash crop started around June 1.
The statement also showed that paddy, the largest grown food grain in India during the kharif season, was sown in around 9.2 million hectare as of July 11, up from 8.7 million hectare a year ago
Sugarcane planting was also lower at 4.32 million hectare during the June 1-July 11 period, compared with 5.28 million hectare sown last year.
Maize has been sown in around 3.37 million hectare, up from 3.10 million hectare a year ago.
The area used for oilseed during June 1-July 10 was estimated to be at 8.6 million hectare, compared with 8.1 million hectare a year ago.
Soybean, the biggest oilseed grown during the kharif season was sown in around 5.4 million hectare, up from 4.4 million hectare a year ago, while groundnut was sown in 2.46 million hectare, up from 2.60 million tonne.
The area under pulses cultivation as of July 10 as 3.1 million hectare, up from 2.9 million hectare a year ago.