India food grain acreage rises on high price expectation

NEWDELHI (Commodity Online): Buoyed by higher prices and an early harvest of other crops, Indian farmers planted more wheat and pulses than a year ago, according to a release issued by Ministry of Agriculture.
As per data received from States, wheat has been sown in over 288 lakh hectare, which is 9.31 lakh hectares more than last year on this date.
The area sown under wheat increased by about 4 per cent while that under pulses rose by 6 per cent in this sowing season till now.
Wheat was sown in over 288 lakh hectares till January 14, 2011 against 279.12 lakh hectares last year, an official statement said.
Pulses were sown in 145 lakh hectare so far vis-a-vis 136.93 lakh hectares during the same period an year ago, it said.
Acreage of total oilseeds also increased by 2.4 per cent.
Oilseeds were sown on an area of 89.40 lakh hectares as of now against 87.30 lakh hectare last year.
But, areas under rice and total coarse cereals were down by 27 per cent and 8 per cent respectively compared to last year.
Rice has been sown in an area of 9.21 lakh hectare against 12.67 lakh hectare last year while total coarse cereals were sown in an area of 58.84 lakh hectare vis-a-vis 63.57 lakh hectare, the statement added.
The pulses acreage is up by 8.41 lakh hectare and oilseeds by 2.10 lakh hectare compared to last year.
The acreage of wheat and pulses is also up by 14.38 and 10.79 lakh hectare respectively compared to 2008-09.

(Source: http://www.commodityonline.com/news/India-food-grain-acreage-rises-on-high-price-expectation-35673-3-1.html)