New Delhi. Data received from States reveal that about 277.81 lakh ha wheat has been sown compared to last year’s coverage of 275.89 lakh ha. Thus 1.92 lakh ha more area has been covered till 12.2.2010. Higher area coverage of wheat is reported in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Less coverage has been reported in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.

About 32.35 lakh ha of rice has been sown/transplanted compared to last year’s coverage of 32.52 lakh ha. Thus 0.17 lakh ha less area has been covered till 12.2.2010. Rice area has been diverted for pulses crops in Andhra Pradesh. However, rice area is expected to reach last year’s area coverage as sowing/transplanting is still going on. Oilseeds have been sown in less area as compared to last year, by 4.80 lakh hectare.

There is a significant increase of about 8 lakh ha area under pulses. Overall crop condition is reported normal and most of the pulses crops are in vegetable to pod formation stages and the kharif season arhar is reported in flowering to harvesting stages. The highest area coverage during the current year is in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, followed by Andhra Pradesh.