New Delhi, Jul 17 (IANS): The acreage of total kharif crops in the current sowing season was reported at 691.86 lakh hectares as of July 16 which is 21.2 per cent higher than the sowing coverage in the corresponding period last year. This is after the country received 10 per cent above normal rainfall so far in the ongoing monsoon season.

As per the Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ministry data, the total kharif crops have been sown in 691.86 lakh hectare area against 570.86 lakh hectare during the corresponding period in previous year, thus the coverage area increased by 21.2 per cent as compared to last year.

Farmers have sown paddy, the chief kharif crop, in 168.47 lakh hectares against 142.06 lakh hectares last year i.e. which is higher by 18.59 per cent.

The acreage of pulses reached 81.66 lakh hectares against 61.70 lakh hectares the previous year, surging by 32.35 per cent against last year. The coverage of coarse cereals was reported at 115.60 lakh hectares against 103.00 lakh hectares of last year and oilseeds at 154.95 lakh hectares against 110.09 lakh hectares in the same period last year.

Sugarcane area reached 51.29 lakh hectares against 50.82 lakh hectares of last year. The acreage of cotton was reported at 113.01 lakh hectares against 96.35 lakh hectares of the previous year, which is up by 17.28 per cent.

In case of Jute & Mesta, 6.88 lakh hectare area has been covered against 6.84 lakh hectares of the previous year which is 0.70 per cent higher than the compared period.

So, there is no impact of Covid-19 on the progress of area coverage under kharif crops so far, the Ministry said in a statement.

As of July 16, actual rainfall received in the country is 338.3 mm against normal of 308.4 mm i.e. departure of (+)10 per cent during the period from June 1 to July 16. As per the report of CWC, the live water storage available in 123 reservoirs in the country is 150 per cent of live storage of corresponding period of last year and 133 per cent of storage of average of last 10 years.