In the current Rabi season, sowing of wheat as well as pulses, oilseeds and paddy is lagging behind compared to last year. According to the Agriculture Ministry, till December 1, wheat, the main crop of Rabi season, has been sown only in 187.94 lakh hectares, whereas in the same period last year, it was sown in 197.55 lakh hectares. Sowing of Rabi pulses has come down to only 108.09 lakh hectares in the current season, which is less than 119.37 lakh hectares in the same period last year. Gram, the main Rabi pulses crop, has been sown in 75.09 lakh hectares in the current season, which is less than 85.54 lakh hectares in the same period last year. However, during this period, sowing of lentils has increased to 14.30 lakh hectares in the current Rabi, whereas till this time last year, it was sown only in 13.99 lakh hectares. Peas have been sown in 7.94 lakh hectares in the current Rabi, whereas till this time last year it was sown only in 7.57 lakh hectares. Urad has been sown in only 2.46 lakh hectares, whereas it is less than 3.17 lakh hectares till this time last year. Sowing of coarse grains has been done only in 39.93 lakh hectares in the current Rabi, whereas till this time last year it had been sown in 41.68 lakh hectares. Among coarse grains, in the current Rabi, jowar has been sown in 16.74 lakh hectares, maize in 14.55 lakh hectares and barley in 7.92 lakh hectares, whereas in the same period last year, their sowing has been done in 18.21 lakh hectares, 14.27 lakh hectares and 7.98 lakh hectares respectively. It was done in hectares. Sowing of oilseed crops has reduced to only 89.49 lakh hectares in the current Rabi season, which is slightly less than 89.88 lakh hectares in the same period last year. Sowing of mustard, the main Rabi oilseed crop, has increased slightly in the current Rabi to 84.26 lakh hectares, whereas till this time it was sown only in 83.71 lakh hectares. Other Groundnut has been sown in Rabi oilseeds only in 2.20 lakh hectares, which is less than 2.74 lakh hectares in the same period last year. Safflower has been sown only in 47 thousand hectares in the current Rabi, whereas by this time last year it had been sown in 53 thousand hectares. Sowing of linseed has increased to 2.18 lakh hectares currently, whereas till this time last year, sowing could be done only in 2 lakh hectares. Paddy has been planted in only 9.28 lakh hectares in the current Rabi, which is less than 10.70 lakh hectares in the same period last year. The total sowing of Rabi crops has been done in only 434.72 lakh hectares in the current Rabi season, which is less than 459.22 lakh hectares in the same period last year.