Kharif Crop Acreage in Gujarat Trails Last Year's Figures

Ahmedabad: Although sowing of Kharif crops in the western state of Gujarat progressed well in recent weeks, the total acreage has remained slightly behind last year's figures. According to the latest report from the State Agriculture Department, the total area under Kharif crops in Gujarat stood at approximately 83.56 lakh hectares as of October 12; this is 1.43 lakh hectares less than the 84.99 lakh hectares recorded during the corresponding period last year. Sowing operations for Kharif crops in the state have largely concluded.

Official data indicates that the total area under paddy and coarse cereals in Gujarat during this year's Kharif season rose to 13.89 lakh hectares, an increase of 7,000 hectares over the previous year's 13.82 lakh hectares. Within this category, the area under paddy increased from 9.05 lakh hectares to 9.29 lakh hectares, and the acreage for sorghum (jowar) rose from 12,000 hectares to 13,000 hectares; however, the area sown with pearl millet (bajra) declined from 1.73 lakh hectares to 1.63 lakh hectares, and the area under maize fell from 2.81 lakh hectares to 2.72 lakh hectares.

The total area under pulse crops increased from 4.65 lakh hectares to approximately 4.79 lakh hectares. Specifically, the area under pigeon pea (tur) rose from 3.10 lakh hectares to 3.37 lakh hectares, and the area under black gram (urad) increased from 84,000 hectares to 93,000 hectares; conversely, the acreage for green gram (moong) dropped from 49,000 hectares to 33,000 hectares. However, the cultivation area for oilseed crops shrank from 32.05 lakh hectares last year to 30.31 lakh hectares this season. Within this category, the sowing area for groundnut dropped from 22.02 lakh hectares to 20.70 lakh hectares, the area under sesame fell from 41,000 hectares to 20,000 hectares, and the castor acreage declined from 6.83 lakh hectares to 6.35 lakh hectares; conversely, the area under soybean increased from 2.78 lakh hectares to 3.05 lakh hectares.

Additionally, while the cotton cultivation area in Gujarat rose from 20.97 lakh hectares to 21.53 lakh hectares, the acreage for guar fell from 75,000 hectares to 53,000 hectares.