New Delhi, Sep 25 (IANS): Towards the fag end of the monsoon season, kharif crops have been sown on 1115.29 lakh hectares (Ha) as on Friday with area coverage increasing by 43.61 lakh Ha against the normal of the corresponding week (1071.68 lakh ha) last week.

Compared to normal of corresponding week, area coverage increased under Rice, Pulses, Oilseeds and Sugarcane. Area coverage is marginally less under Jute & Mesta (0.01 lakh ha), Cotton (0.34 lakh ha) and Coarse -cum- Nutri Cereals (6.24 lakh ha), a release from Ministry of Agriculture said.

Significant improvement in progress of area coverage has been observed with the improvement of rainfall situation in almost all states. The deficit rainfall is observed in the state of J&K (- 28 per cent) and high rainfall states of Manipur (- 60 per cent) and Nagaland (- 25 per cent). The present crop conditions in all the states are good.

Crop data for Rice shows that total acreage has increased by 31.63 lakh Ha to 420.36 lakh Ha against 388.73 lakh Ha during the corresponding period of normal. The area coverage is less mainly in the state of Odisha 1.50 lakh Ha due to deficit/excess rainfall which hampered land preparation as well as raising of nursery beds for carrying out timely transplantation.