Good increase in sowing area of ​​soybean and groundnut

30-Jul-2024 08:59 PM

New Delhi. During the current Kharif season, there has been a good increase in the sowing area of ​​both the major oilseed crops soybean and groundnut as compared to last year.

As a result, despite the decrease in sowing of castor and sesame, the total production area of ​​oilseed crops increased by 6.30 lakh hectares from 165.37 lakh hectares last year to 171.67 lakh hectares this time. There has been an increase in the sowing of sunflower and nigerseed.

According to official data, in the Kharif season of 2024 as compared to 2023, the production area of ​​soybean at the national level jumped from 117 lakh hectares to 121.75 lakh hectares and the sowing area of ​​groundnut increased from 36.10 lakh hectares to 41.05 lakh hectares.

Similarly, the area of ​​sunflower increased from 46 thousand hectares to 60 thousand hectares and the area of ​​nigerseed improved from 9 thousand hectares to 22 thousand hectares.

On the other hand, the production area of ​​sesame decreased from 8.94 lakh hectares last year to 7.32 lakh hectares this time and the sowing area of ​​castor seed dropped from 2.76 lakh hectares to just 72 thousand hectares.

Rajasthan is a leading producer of groundnut and soybean. In comparison to last year, the production area of ​​groundnut increased from 7.97 lakh hectares to 8.41 lakh hectares during the current Kharif season, but the sowing area of ​​soybean fell from 11.42 lakh hectares to 10.97 lakh hectares and the area of ​​sesame seed slipped from 2.27 lakh hectares to 1.94 lakh hectares.

Not only this, the area of ​​castor seed in Rajasthan also decreased from 1.24 lakh hectares to 35 thousand hectares. In Gujarat, the production area of ​​groundnut and soybean has increased but the area under sesame has decreased. Sowing of castor is now gaining momentum.