Soyabean acreage likely to increase this year SOPA

  Indore, Jun 18 (PTI) The soyabean sowing area is<br>estimated to increase by 10 per cent in the country during the<br>current Kharif season and cover around 118 lakh hectares, an<br>association of the crop processors said on Thursday.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;During the last Kharif season, soyabean was sown in an<br>area of 107.61 lakh hectares and its yield was 93.06 lakh<br>tonnes, Soyabean Processors Association of India executive<br>director D N Pathak told PTI.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Heavy rains during the monsoon last year caused damage<br>this cash crop, he said.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"We are estimating that the sowing area of soyabean<br>would increase by 10 per cent during this Kharif season in<br>view of the prevalent conditions," he said.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"We feel farmers of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and<br>Rajasthan, who sow maize and cotton, would opt for soyabean<br>cultivation this time for better income. This will increase<br>the acreage of the oilseed crop," he said.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Following the onset of the southwest monsoon this<br>year, farmers have started sowing soyabean in Madhya Pradesh<br>and other places, Pathak said, adding that the sowing is<br>expected to end by the first week of July. PTI HWP LAL<br>GK   GK

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)