In Chhattisgarh, 93 per cent of the given target of sowing kharif crops has been achieved despite a below average rainfall in the current Monsoon season.
The State Government's Agriculture department has chalked out a programme to sow foodgrain, pulses, oilseeds and vegetables on 48 lakh 10 thousand hectares cover.
As on August 23, 2016, sowing of various crops on 44 lakh 61 thousand hectares has been completed.
Agriculture Minister Brijmohan Agrawal informed that in the ongoing kharif season, paddy has been sown in 35 lakh 66 thousand hectares against the target area of 36 lakh 36 thousand hectares. Agrawal has given the target of sowing food grains in 39 lakh 42 thousand hectare area.
This includes paddy, corn, barley, kodo-kutki and other small food crops.
The Minister informed that sowing of pulses have been completed on two lakh 78 thousand hectares in this kharif crops this includes sowing of arhar on one lakh 33 thousand hectare, urad on one lakh 22 thousand hectares, moong on 22 thousand hectare and kulthi on nearly two thousand hectare.
Soyabean is the major oilseed crop of Chhattisgarh, along with that cultivation of peanuts, til, ramtil, sunflower and castor. In the ongoing kharif season, oilseed crops have been sown in an area of two lakh 21 thousand hectares, this includes sowing of peanut on 58 thousand hectare, til on 31 thousand hectare, soyabean on one lakh 31 thousand, ramtil on one thousand hectare, and sunflower-arandi on nearly one thousand hectare.
Agrawal added that for fibrous crops and vegetables, target of one lakh 42 thousand hectares has been finalized. Till date, sowing of these crops on one lakh 24 thousand hectares has been completed.