<span style="color: #222222;">Agriculture Ministry has said that there has been satisfactory progress of sowing area coverage under Kharif crops. The Ministry in  a statement said that the total Kharif crops have been sown in over 1113  lakh hectare area as compared to 1053 lakh hectatare area during the corresponding period of last year. This shows an increase in area coverage by 5.71 per cent as compared to last year in the country.  The Ministry said, rice has been sown in about 407 lakh hectare  area as compared to 378.71 lakh hectare during the corresponding period of last year.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">  <br />''Pulses have been sown in over 138 lakh hectate area as compared to over 132 lakh hectare  area during the corresponding period of last year.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> <br />''About 197 lakh hectare area has been brought under sowing of oilseeds as compared to over 178 lakh hectare area during the corresponding period of last year. Sugarcane has been sown in about  52.65 lakh hectare area while cotton has been sown in about 129.47 lakh hectare  area  so far. The Ministry said, the government is taking several measures to facilitate the farmers and farming activities at field level during COVID 19 pandemic.</span><br />