Increase in area under rabi Crops

• Farmers have sown rabi crops in over 70 per cent of the 633.80 lakh hectares (lh) of the normal area so far, some 6 per cent higher from the year-ago period.
• Higher acreage and potentially conducive weather throughout the season may help the country to have another year of bumper harvest.
• The total rabi acreage is 450.61 lh as of December 2 against 423.52 lh in the corresponding period a year ago.
• Wheat, the key winter-grown cereal, has been planted on 211.62 lh against 200.85 lh, up 5.4 per cent.
• The absolute increase in area under wheat from the year-ago level has narrowed down for the first time after rising almost every week since the beginning of the sowing season.
• Many parts of north-west India, the key producing region of wheat, mustard and chana (gram), may see a warmer winter season primarily due to likely subdued activity of western disturbances.
• The area under winter paddy has increased to 10.62 lh from 9.53 lh while coarse cereals acreage is up at 32.63 lh from 29.02 lh.

Q1) What are Rabi crops?

Rabi Crops, also known as Winter crops, are crops that are generally sown in the winter and harvested in the spring in parts of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Major Rabi crops are wheat, gram, peas, barley etc. A warm climate is required for seed germination and cold climate for the growth of crops.

Source: The Hindu Businessline