Mustard crop acreage rises 5% to 10 mn hectares in rabi season: SEA

By PTI

Mustard crop acreage is estimated to have risen 5 per cent to over 100 lakh hectares in the rabi season of the 2023-24 crop year, according to industry data.

In a statement, the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA) said it has nominated RMSI Cropalytics Pvt Ltd for an all-India rape mustard crop survey. Mustard is an important oilseed.

RMSI has submitted the third report based on remote sensing.

As per the report, SEA said, “all-India mustard crop acreage was reported at 100.39 lakh hectares, which is 5 per cent more than last year’s remote sensing-based estimate of 95.76 lakh hectares”.

Farmers in many districts in Gujarat and Rajasthan have opted for other crops instead of mustard due to lower price realisation.

In Rajasthan, the acreage is estimated to have increased to 37,82,222 hectares in the rabi season of 2023-24 from 37,43,272 hectares in the previous year.

Mustard acreage in Uttar Pradesh has grown to 17,76,025 hectares from 14,00,584 hectares, while in Madhya Pradesh, the sowing area increased to 13,96,374 hectares from 13,23,881 hectares.

However, the area under coverage in West Bengal has declined to 5,90,734 hectares from 6,41,170 hectares.

India imports a large quantity of edible oils to meet domestic demand.

This article has been republished from the Business Standard.