The area under cultivation for pulses has increased by 39 per cent in the country in the ongoing kharif season 2016-17 on the back of good monsoon and higher support price and bonus offered to farmers. Data released by the Agriculture Ministry said, the area under pulses increased to a little over 90 lakh hectare compared to 65 lakh hectare in the year-ago period. It said, all kharif crops including pulses and paddy have been covered in 65 per cent of the total farm area of around 1,000 lakh hectare. The data said, the area under pulses has increased sharply by 87 per cent in Karnataka to almost 14 lakh hectare, from around 7.5 lakh hectare when compared to the year-ago period.<br/><br/>Minister of State for Agriculture Sudarshan Bhagat had said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha that in view of better progress of sowing of kharif crops, if rainfall conditions during current monsoon season continues to be favourable, this year's production scenarios of kharif crops should be better than last year.<br/><br/>Sowing of paddy and other kharif crops begin with the onset of southwest monsoon from June and harvesting starts from October.<br/><br/>Monsoon rains are higher by 1 per cent. The MeT Department has forecast better than normal rains for the four-month season ending September.