The Agriculture Department in Chhattisgarh is promoting sowing of cash crops. The area for maize farming has been increased by about one lakh hectare while the area for Kodo, Kutki and Ragi cultivation has gone up by about 66,000 hectares.

An official communication on Thursday said the most remarkable thing about the sowing target of Kharif season 2022 is that the area under paddy cultivation has been reduced by 5.35 lakh hectares as compared to the previous Kharif season.

In Kharif season 2022, different types of crops will be sown on 48.20 lakh hectares, which is about 55,000 hectares more than the last Kharif season 2021.

Besides reducing the area under paddy cultivation, the Agriculture Department has also decided to expand the area under cultivation of pulses, oilseeds and other crops by nearly three-and-a-half lakh hectares.

According to the communiqué, Kharif crops were sown in 47.65 lakh hectares in the state in the Kharif season 2021. In Kharif season 2022, this target has been increased by nearly 55,000 hectares to 48.20 lakh hectares.

In the last Kharif season, paddy was sown in 38.99 lakh hectares whereas in the Kharif season 2022 this target has been reduced to 33.64 lakh hectares. Hence, the department is set to bring down the area under paddy farming by 5.35 lakh hectares.

In this Kharif season, lentils and pulses are being cultivated in 4,48,000 hectares whereas in the last Kharif season pulses crops were cultivated in 2,77,000 hectares.

Similarly, the area for oilseed crops has been increased by one lakh. This means that now oilseed crops are being sown in 2,67,700 hectares.