In the current Rabi season, sowing of pulses and oilseeds as well as paddy is lagging behind compared to last year, whereas sowing of coarse grains has increased during this period. According to the Agriculture Ministry, till November 17 in the current Rabi season, sowing of pulses has come down to only 65.16 lakh hectares, which is less than 69.37 lakh hectares in the same period last year. Gram, the main Rabi pulses crop, has been sown in 44.66 lakh hectares in the current season, which is less than 49.64 lakh hectares in the same period last year. However, during this period, the sowing of lentils has increased to 8.76 lakh hectares in the current Rabi, whereas till this time last year, it was sown only in 7.60 lakh hectares. Peas have been sown in 5.37 lakh hectares in the current Rabi, whereas till this time last year it was sown only in 5.09 lakh hectares. Urad has been sown in only 1.45 lakh hectares, whereas last year till this time it was less than 1.85 lakh hectares. Sowing of oilseed crops has decreased to 71.74 lakh hectares in the current Rabi season, which is less than 73.17 lakh hectares in the same period last year. Sowing of mustard, the main Rabi oilseed crop, has reduced to only 68.55 lakh hectares in the current Rabi, whereas till this time it had been sown in 69.31 lakh hectares. Among other Rabi oilseeds, groundnut has been sown in only 1.43 lakh hectares, which is less than 1.81 lakh hectares in the same period last year. Sowing of coarse cereals has increased to 18.03 lakh hectares in the current Rabi season, which is more than 15.85 lakh hectares in the same period last year. Among coarse grains, jowar has been sown in 12.38 lakh hectares, maize in 3.21 lakh hectares and barley in 2.08 lakh hectares. In the same period last year, they were sown in 9.33 lakh hectares, 3.49 lakh hectares and 2.70 lakh hectares respectively. Paddy has been planted in only 7.65 lakh hectares in the current Rabi, which is less than 8.05 lakh hectares in the same period last year.