December 6, 2004

India Summer Wheat Planting Down

India's summer-sown wheat planting covered 10 million hectares in the Nov. 1-Dec. 3 period compared with 10.3 million hectares in the same period last year, the Ministry of Agriculture said Friday.

Sowing of India's winter-sown crops began in early November and will continue until January. The crops will be harvested in February and March. The two major winter-sown crops are wheat and mustardseed.

Mustardseed was sown in 5.5 million hectares in the Nov. 1-Dec. 3 period, compared with 5 million hectares in the year-ago period, the Ministry said.

Total oilseed sowing covered 7.7 million hectares in the latest period under review, compared with 7.3 million hectares in the same period last year.