Farmers typically start planting summer-sown crops on June 1, when monsoon rains usually reach India. Planting of rice, the key summer crop, was at 11.5 million hectares as of July 9 versus 12.6 million hectares in the previous year, the ministry said. The area planted with cotton was at 8.6 million hectares versus 10.5 million hectares the prior year. Planting of overall oilseeds, including soybean - the main summer oilseed crop - was at 11.2 million hectares, down from 12.6 million hectares the previous year. Soybean sowing was at 8.2 million hectares against 9.2 million hectares last year.

Source: Mint July 10, 2021 07:41 UTC