New Delhi | Wheat acreage has increased marginally to 341.13 lakh hectare (ha) so far in the ongoing rabi season of the 2022-23 crop year (July-June), according to the agriculture ministry data.

Sowing of wheat, the main rabi (winter) crop, had begun from October onwards. Maize, jowar, gram and mustard are other major rabi crops. Harvesting of these crops will begin in March/April next year.

According to the latest data, the area under coverage for wheat has risen to 341.13 lakh ha till January 20 of the current rabi season of the 2022-23 crop year (July-June) against 339.87 lakh ha during the same period last year.

The higher area has been reported mainly from Rajasthan (2.52 lakh ha), Bihar (1.49 lakh ha), Maharashtra (0.92 lakh ha), Chhattisgarh (0.54 lakh ha), Gujarat (0.48 lakh ha) and Uttar Pradesh (0.22 lakh ha).

The lesser area under coverage for wheat is mainly reported from Madhya Pradesh (4.15 lakh ha), Jharkhand (0.34 lakh ha), Punjab (0.18 lakh ha), Himachal Pradesh (0.10 lakh ha) and Haryana (0.10 lakh ha).

As per the sowing data, Paddy acreage has also increased to 31.54 lakh ha compared to 23.64 lakh ha in the year-ago period.

Similarly, pulses acreage has risen marginally to 164.12 lakh ha against 163.7 lakh ha. Coarse and Nutri-cereals acreage has increased marginally to 51.46 lakh ha from 49.36 lakh ha.

In the case of oilseeds, the total area sown to various types of oilseeds has increased to 108.11 lakh ha so far this rabi season against 100.44 lakh ha in the year-ago period. Of which, the rapeseed-mustard seed area has increased to 97.1 lakh ha from 90.18 lakh ha, the data showed.

The total area sown to all kinds of rabi crops is higher at 696.35 lakh ha till January 20 of the current rabi season from 676.97 lakh ha a year ago.