Though acreage under the main rabi (winter) crops, such
as wheat, gram and mustard continued to rise, overall sowing for the
season across the country has turned sluggish as cash-strapped farmers
have slowed down planting.
According to preliminary
data released by the Agriculture Ministry, acreage under rabi crops till
November 18 ,2016 stood lower, at 241.73 lakh hectares, compared to 243.38
lakh ha in the corresponding period last year.
Rabi
acreage till last week was up 16 per cent, but the pace of planting
slowed this week on account of currency shortages due to the
demonetisation of ₹500 and ₹1,000 notes, which impacted purchase of agri
inputs such as seeds and fertilisers.
“The
demonetisation has impacted rabi sowing across North India,” said
Kalyan Goswami, Executive Director, National Seed Association of India
(NSAI). While wheat sowing has been impacted in Punjab, Haryana, west
Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, planting of corn has taken a hit in
Bihar, mainly in areas around Motihari and Champaran, Goswami added.
Note
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