Area under summer crops in Gujarat increased to 1.05 lakh hectares
18-Feb-2025 01:58 PM
It looks like Gujarat is seeing an increase in the area under summer (zaid) crops this year, with a rise to 1.05 lakh hectares, up from 1.01 lakh hectares in the same period last year. This shows positive growth in the state's agricultural production for the season. Here’s a breakdown of the key changes:
- Paddy: The sowing area for paddy increased slightly, from 53,000 hectares to 55,000 hectares.
- Millet: Sowing of millet has also seen a small increase, from 9,000 hectares to 10,000 hectares.
- Grain Crops: The area for grain crops increased by 3,000 hectares, from 63,000 hectares last year to 66,000 hectares this year.
- Maize: However, the area under maize saw a decline, dropping from 2,000 hectares to 1,000 hectares.
- Pulses: There is a drop in pulse cultivation, possibly due to weak market prices, with the total area shrinking from 2,494 hectares to 2,188 hectares. Particularly, moong sowing fell from 2,288 hectares to 1,833 hectares, while urad saw a small increase.
- Oilseeds: Oilseed crops have seen a positive trend, with the area increasing from 5,335 hectares to 5,805 hectares. Groundnut sowing increased significantly from 2,136 hectares to 2,488 hectares, and sesame also improved from 3,149 hectares to 3,317 hectares.
- Sugarcane: The area under sugarcane also saw a growth, increasing from 2,719 hectares to 2,951 hectares.
- Guar: In some areas, guar cultivation has begun.
The overall increase in the area for most crops indicates a positive agricultural outlook for Gujarat, though pulse cultivation seems to be in decline due to market uncertainties. As we move further into the summer season, sowing for the main Kharif crops will begin in June-July after harvesting the Zaid crops in May-June.