Gandhinagar: Kharif crops have been sown in about 70 lakh hectares of land in Gujarat so far. During this period last year, 74 lakh hectares of kharif crops were planted in the state. Taking the average of the last 3 years, against the total cultivated area of ​​85 lakh hectares in the state, 81 percent of the area has seen sowing so far this year.

Every year during the kharif season, cotton is grown the most in the state. This year too, cotton has been sown in the state so far in more than 23 lakh hectares.

Sharing these details, Agriculture Minister Raghavjibhai Patel said that, after cotton, the second largest crop is oil seeds in the state. So far in Gujarat, a total of 22.90 lakh hectares of land has been covered by oil seeds crops, which was 21.80 lakh hectares during this period last year. Compared to last year, the cultivated area of ​​oil seeds crops has increased by 1 lakh hectares.

Groundnut, the main oils seeds crop of the state, has also been planted in abundance in the state. In the state last year groundnut crop was planted in around 16 lakh hectares during this period, against which groundnut has been planted in more than 18.80 lakh hectares with an increase of around 2.5 lakh hectares so far this year.

Farmers have started planting kharif crops including cotton, groundnut, castor, sesame, soybean, paddy, jowar with timely rains in most of the districts of the state. Kharif crops have been planted very well in the state this year as well. There is ample potential to increase the area as well, with the cultivation of kharif crops still picking up, the minister added. DeshGujarat