STAT Communications Ag Market News

Modest Rabi Seeding Progress in India

PANAMA - Jan 10/16 - SNS -- Seeding of this year's rabi season pulse crops is on pace with this time last year, but well below the recent five-year average, according to the latest update from the country's agriculture department.

Just over 600,000 hectares of pulses were sown during the week, lifting total land in pulses to 13.44 million hectares, comparable to the 13.48 million sown by this time last year, but behind the recent five-year average of 14.19 million hectares.

By this time of year, India's farmers have normally planted 93% of all pulses which will be sown. Even though it is still possible, it is hard to see how seeded area will reach the recent average of 15.18 million hectares for the rabi season.

On average, farmers only plant 920,000 hectares of pulses in January and February. In recent years, progress has ranged between a low of 431,000 hectares and a high of 1.18 million. If seeding progress matches the recent high, it would still fall short of the medium term average.

The believe seeded area will not approach the recent average has helped push international trading levels for field peas to their highest levels of the past six months since the middle of December.

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