Government data as of July 24 shows acreage under sunflower has jumped 61.6% from a year earlier. The area sown under sesamum, kulith (horse gram), jute and mesta has also risen 8.3%, 15.6%, 2% and 3.7%, respectively.
Acreage under tur, soya, maize and millets declines; shift to hardy crops & vegetables
Seed companies are seeing the change play out in demand. Farmers are increasingly opting for short-duration vegetables, prompting companies to import additional seeds of coriander, cabbage and temperate cauliflower.
“Vegetables are becoming an attractive option because they mature quickly and require less water than many field crops,” said Tauseef Khan, co-founder of Unnati, an agri start-up which supplies inputs such as seeds and pesticides to farmers.
East-West Seed, which specialises in vegetable seeds, has also reported stronger demand for onion seeds following improved rainfall in parts of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat in the first week of July.
The higher prices of the kitchen staple due to lower produce in the rabi season supported the farmers’ sentiments.
The company said sweet corn has emerged as another preferred crop.