Wheat sowing has declined by 27 per cent to around 117 lakh hectares so far this rabi season due to lack of moisture content in soil and late harvest of Kharif crops. Agriculture Ministry in a release said, area under coverage for wheat stood at around 161 lakh hectare in the year-ago period. It said, as per preliminary reports received from the states, the total area sown under rabi crops as on today stands to 317.96 lakh hectares. <br/><br/>The Ministry said, Wheat has been sown in around 117 lakh hectares, pulses in 90 lakh hectare, coarse cereals in 44 lakh hectares, oilseeds in 57 lakh hectares and rice in 8.26 lakh hectares. Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh has said, the area sown to wheat so far is lower than the year-ago period but there is no cause of concern at present. He said, sowing operations will pick up soon in key growing states like Punjab and Haryana.