 "Farmers, Farmer, agriculture")
The world’s largest exporter of the grain surprised buyers last year by imposing a ban on the export of widely consumed non-basmati white rice, following a ban on broken rice. (Photo: PTI)
Indian farmers have accelerated the planting of summer-sown crops, such as paddy, soybean, cotton, and corn, following above-average monsoon rainfall in July that came after a deficit in June, according to government data.
Summer rains, critical for economic growth in Asia’s third-largest economy, usually begin in the south around June 1 before spreading nationwide by July 8, allowing farmers to plant summer crops.
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But in June India received 11% less rain than average, after the monsoon lost momentum in mid-June and delayed sowing.
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In the first half of July there was 9% more rainfall than normal which helped farmers to plant summer crops on 57.5 million hectares (142 million acres) by July 12, a tenth higher than last year, according to Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare.
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The lifeblood of the nearly $3.5 trillion economy, the monsoon brings nearly 70% of the rain India needs to water farms and refill reservoirs and aquifers.
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Without irrigation, nearly half of the farmland in the world’s second-biggest producer of rice, wheat and sugar depends on the annual rains.
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“Monsoon’s revival will benefit summer crop planting and early-sown crops from June. Overall, the monsoon’s revival in early July bodes well for crops and yields,” said Ashwini Bansod, vice president, commodities research at Phillip Capital India Pvt. Ltd.
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Farmers have planted 11.6 million hectares with paddy, up 20.7% on the same period last year, as record high prices prompted farmers to expand the area.
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Higher rice planting could alleviate supply concerns in the world’s second biggest producer and consumer of the grain.
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The world’s largest exporter of the grain surprised buyers last year by imposing a ban on the export of widely consumed non-basmati white rice, following a ban on broken rice.
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Higher rice procurement by government agencies from last season’s crop and expansion in paddy area could allow the government to ease restrictions on rice exports in October, said a New Delhi based dealer with a global trade house.
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Farmers had planted 14 million hectares with oilseeds, including soybeans, against 11.5 million hectares a year earlier.
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Corn was planted on 5.88 million hectares, up from 4.38 million hectares a year earlier. The cotton area was slightly higher at 9.6 million hectares, while pulses planting jumped by 26% from a year ago to 6.23 million hectares.
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The farm ministry keeps updating the provisional sowing figures as it gathers more information from the state governments.
First Published: Jul 16 2024 | 5:32 PM IST
