Summer crops sowing edges up, sharp spurt in pulses acreage

Summer sowing has edged up. Acreage under summer crops, which will end by May, stood at 58.29 lakh hectares (lh) as on April 6, up around 0.84% compared to year ago period. Area under the key crop paddy fell 7.60% on year at 30.12 lh while nutri/coarse cereals area jumped 8% at 8.07. Area under summer pulses saw a solid surge of 25.20% on year at 8.79 lh. Oilseeds area also rose 4.30% on year to 7.74 lh.