India's Pulse Plantings Still Lag 2003

NEW DELHI - Sep 14/04 - SNS -- Efforts by the Indian government to encourage farmers to increase kharif season pulse plantings to take advantage of the ebb and flow of monsoon rainfall patterns has had little impact on seeding progress.

Plantings continue to lag last year by a significant margin, with India's Agriculture Department reporting 12.89 million hectares were planted through September 9, down from 13.47 million hectares by the same time last year. However, total pulse area is slightly ahead of the normal kharif season coverage of 12.85 million hectares.

        India -- Pulse Plantings to Sept 9/04
                    (hectares)
               Normal       This Year       Last Year
Arhar       3,450,000       3,440,000       3,730,000
Urd         2,320,000       2,090,000       2,650,000
Moong       2,450,000       2,370,000       2,750,000
Kulthi        490,000         130,000         130,000
Moth        1,010,000       1,130,000       1,610,000
Guar        2,480,000       2,180,000       2,600,000
Others        650,000       1,550,000       1,330,000
Total      12,850,000      12,890,000      13,470,000

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