Indian farmers have planted 56.7 million sown areas. This is shown on Friday by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

Farmers have begun planting rice, corn, cotton, soy, sugarcane and peanuts among other crops from June 1, when monsoon rains are expected in India. Almost half of India’s farmland lacks irrigation, and planting usually lasts until July.

According to representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, rice crops, the main summer crop, were on Friday at 14 million hectares. versus 15.1 million at the same time last year. The sown area of ​​corn was 5.5 million hectares, which practically did not change compared to the same period last year.

The area sown with cotton was 9.6 million, compared with 9.3 million. Sowing of soybeans, the main summer oilseed crop, amounted to 8 million, compared with 9 million in 2018.

Other crops, such as beans and sugarcane, also declined year on year. The amount of precipitation during the monsoon rains in India was 20% below the weekly average along with summer rain showers in different parts of the central, western and southern parts of the country.

The monsoon usually brings precipitation from 96% to 104% of the 50-year average of 89 cm during the four-month season, according to the Indian Weather Bureau.

According to the latest government data, the water level in the main reservoirs of India was 24% of their capacity, compared with 32% at the same time last year. The average over the past 10 years is 28%.