Wheat Sowing Area Up 2.15%, Oilseeds Decline - Rabi Season

New Delhi, Dec 30 (PTI) Wheat sowing area rose 2.15 per cent to 319.74 lakh hectares in the ongoing rabi (winter) season, while oilseeds acreage fell 5.14 per cent to 96.15 lakh hectares, according to agriculture ministry data released on Monday.

Wheat, the primary winter crop, is typically planted from November and harvested between March and April.

Pulses acreage remained flat at 136.13 lakh hectares as on December 30 of this rabi season, with gram covering 93.98 lakh hectares and lentil 17.43 lakh hectares.

Coarse cereals sowing slightly increased to 48.55 lakh hectares, up from 47.77 lakh hectares.

However, oilseed sowing remained lower at 96.15 lakh hectares, compared to 101.37 lakh hectares in the previous year.

Rapeseed-mustard seed coverage dropped to 88.50 lakh hectares from 93.73 lakh hectares, while groundnut seed area remained flat at 3.32 lakh hectares as at last year's level.