Indian Pulse Seeding Surges

NEW DELHI - Jul 3/06 - SNS -- Seeding of pulse crops has surged forward in India even though this year's monsoon was 21% below normal during June.

Farmers in the country are responding to high domestic prices for pulses by more rapidly seeding pulse, argue local traders. Government officials say that as of June 30, India's farmers had planted 744,000 hectares of pulses, compared to 416,000 at this time last year.

It remains to be seen whether this is a trend which will see a massive increase in kharif season pulse output in India or part of a short term shift in seedings resulting from a combination of factors.

Interestingly, pulses are only one of two major crops, where seeded area is so far above last year. Rice seedings progress has advanced to 3.97 million hectares sown, compared to 3,96 million at this time last year.

The weaker monsoon is a factor in oilseed planting, with plantings so far falling from 1.11 million to 989,000 hectares. Soybeans are is down from 194,000 last year at 149,000; while groundnuts seedings has fallen from 416,000 to 370,000 hectares.

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