Summer crop sowing in India declines by 1.54 lakh hectare in 2023

New Delhi [India], June 2 : The final area under coverage for summer crops in India has declined year-on-year, though marginally, at 70.74 lakh hectares, according to the data released by the agriculture ministry on Friday. Last year, it was at 72.28 lakh hectares, which was over two per cent higher.
The ministry's data showed that the sowing area under pulses and coarse cereals is higher year-on-year, while the acreage of rice and oilseeds is lower.
Coming to pulses and coarse cereals, the area increased from 19.11 lakh hectares to 19.86 lakh hectares, and 11.73 lakh hectares to 12.10 lakh hectares, data showed.
For rice and oilseeds, they declined from 30.33 lakh hectares to 28.51 lakh hectares and from 11.11 lakh hectares to 10.26 lakh hectares.
Green gram, jowar, bajra, ragi, maize, groundnut, sunflower, and sesamum are some of the major summer crops.
India has three cropping seasons -- summer, kharif, and rabi.
Crops that are sown during October and November and the produce harvested from January-March depending on maturity is Rabi. Crops sown during June-July and harvested in October-November are kharif. Crops produced between rabi and kharif are summer crops.
Meanwhile, third advance estimates of production of major crops for the agricultural year 2022-23 projected total foodgrain production at a record 330.5 million tonnes which is higher by about 15 million tonnes as compared to the previous year 2021-22.
The assessment of the production of different crops is based on the feedback received from States and validated with information available from other sources. This assessment shall undergo further revision over successive estimates based on feedback and inputs.