The cultivation areas for rabi crops have shrunk by over 17 lakh hectares (Lha) this year,  which has emerged as a cause of concern among policy makers, as the sowing season is about to end. The sowing acreage of wheat and pulses has also reduced considerably. The total sowing of rabi crops has been carried out only in 606.86 lakh hectares (Lha), which is less than 624.03 Lha in the same period last year. Wheat has been sown only at 308.67 Lha, which is 1.82% less than 314.42 Lha last year.  Wheat is the main rabi (winter) crop, sowing of which normally begins in November and harvesting is done from March-April. As per the data, area sown to wheat in Uttar Pradesh has increased to 9.44 million hectares till December 22 of the 2023-24 rabi season, from 9.29 million hectares in the year-ago period.

However, wheat area sown in Madhya Pradesh was slightly lower at 8.17 million hectares, as against 8.39 million hectares in the said period.  In case of Punjab and Haryana, wheat sown area was almost at last year’s level of 3.49 million hectares and 2.31 million hectares, respectively till December 22 of this rabi season.

It is pertinent to note that a scorching heatwave in March 2022 had reduced wheat yield in north and central Indian states. The domestic price of wheat is still reeling above the minimum support price of Rs 2,175 despite the government having taken different measures in the past 10 months.

Rabi paddy has been planted in only 12.67 Lha in the current Rabi, which is less than last year’s 14.04 lakh hectares. However, the sowing of mustard has increased slightly in the current rabi season to 95.23 lakh hectares.

To prepare farmers to deal with heatwaves in advance, the Agriculture Commissioner  PK Singh told PTI the government has started issuing weekly scientific advisories educating them how to take care of the crop at different growth stages and weather conditions.

“Earlier, we used to issue advisories on a fortnightly basis, but this year we are doing it weekly in order to prepare farmers well in advance,” he said, and added that creating awareness and preparing farmers to face eventualities will help in addressing production concerns.

“This is because there was a delay in wheat sowing in some parts where paddy harvesting got late. Otherwise, wheat sowing is progressing well,” Singh told PTI.

 Keeping in mind the terminal heat problem that wheat farmers faced last year, the government this year has promoted climate resilient wheat varieties and kept a target to cover 60 per cent of the total cropped area, he said.