Indian Farmers Boost Sowing of Rice and Pulses as of July 4

The area allocated to monsoon-sown rice crops has increased 7.4% from a year earlier to 6.93 million hectares (17 million acres) as of Friday, according to India’s agriculture ministry.

Farmers have planted pulses on 4.26 million hectares of land, surging 35% from a year earlier, the ministry said. Oilseeds planting has increased to 10.82 million hectares, up 14% from a year earlier, it said.