New Delhi : After a sluggish start, sowing of kharif crops like paddy has picked up pace this week on account of good rains in several parts of the country, said Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh. Till last week, total acreage under kharif (summer) crops was down 23 per cent to 215.87 lakh hectare because of inadequate rainfall in June. Sowing of kharif (summer) crops begins with the onset of southwest monsoon from June and harvesting is done from October onwards. Paddy is the main kharif crop.
“Several parts of the country received good rainfall. The monsoon situation has improved and sowing of kharif crops has picked up pace in many places,” Singh told reporters.
The kharif sowing is expected to improve further as good rainfall is predicted for the months of July, August and September, he added.
