Despite the loss of 4.5 lakh hectare crops due to floods in 11 States and 20-60 per cent deficiency in rainfall in eight States, kharif cultivation is all set for a new record with sown area under many crops including major oilseeds and cotton exceeding the normal area.

According to kharif sowing data released by the Agriculture Ministry, a total of 966 lakh hectares were planted till date, nearly 10 per cent more than 878 lakh hectare sown in the corresponding week last year. Though there is nearly two months left in the season, paddy plantation such as rice, soyabean, cotton, maize and groundnut already surpassed the normal sown area.

The data shows that there is a spectacular 17.36 per cent increase in rice planting too. As compared to 274.19 lakh hectare planted in same week last year, the area under rice so far is nearly 322 lakh hectare, an increase of 47.60 lakh hectare.

Telangana, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Mahrarashtra have reported more paddy plantation so far while Assam, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh reported less area under rice sowing. Similarly, there is a 4.22 per cent increase in area under pulses with moong exceeding its normal area and urad and arhar inching closer to the respective normal areas.

Total under pulses so far is close to 119.59 lakh hectare as against 114.77 lakh hectare planted in the same period last year, an increase of 4.82 lakh hectare.

India has received 531.6 mm rainfall as against the normal of 533 mm so far while over 1.33 crore population have been affected due to floods across India. According to the India Meteorological Department, the rain deficiency in Nagaland recorded 25 percent, Manipur 46 percent, Mizoram 26 percent, Tripura 10 percent, Delhi 33 percent, Himachal Pradesh 34 percent  , Jammu and Kashmir 52 percent and Rajasthan 22 percent, so far while Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, West Bengal, Karnataka, Kerala, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh are among those States reeling under the flood.

As per the central water commission report, most of the river in the country are overflowing or above the danger mark.

As against the designated area of 110 lakh hectare, soyabean is sown over 118 lakh hectare so far.

Similarly, cotton has covered 123.64 lakh hectare as against the normal area of 121 lakh hectare. The area sown in the same week last year was 118.73 lakh hectare. At 47.29 lakh hectare, groundnut planting is nearly 44 per cent more than 32.86 lakh hectare in the corresponding week in the previous kharif season.

The normal area under groundnut is 41.41 lakh hectare. Against the assigned area of 74.73 lakh hectare, maize is planted over 75.88 lakh hectare already.