New Delhi, Sep 11 (IANS): A surge of 1.8 percent was recorded in sowing of Kharif crops which stood at 1,012.01 lakh hectares as on September 11, an official said on Friday.

An area of 994.49 lakh hectares was sown for the Kharif crops, grown during the rainy season, during the same time last year.

"The total area sown under Kharif crops as on September 11 has reached to 1,012.01 lakh hectares," the agriculture ministry said in a statement.

The maximum growth of 11 percent was witnessed in sowing of pulses, whose shortage the country is facing of, to 110.08 lakh hectares. It was followed by coarse cereals (5.7 percent) and oil seeds (3.2 percent).

Rice, widely consumed in India, was sown on 368.41 lakh hectares this season as compared to 366.51 lakh hectares during 2014-15.

Coarse cereals and oil seeds were sown on 180.95 lakh hectares and 181.19 lakh hectares, respectively, during the monsoon this year, the statement said.

The sowing of sugarcane remained almost flat at 48.84 lakh hectares.

However, crops like 'jute and mesta' and cotton registered declines in sowing area.

Jute and mesta crop, together known as raw jute, was sown on 7.80 lakh hectares this season against 8.13 lakh hectares during the previous monsoon.

Cotton was sown on 114.75 lakh hectares in 2015-16 as compared to 125.29 lakh hectares in 2014-15.