Rabi Sowing Down As of 18 January 2019, the total rabi planted area was down 4.8 percent versus 2017/18. While wheat is among the crops affected, pulses and coarse cereals, most especially pearl millet, are down significantly (see table below). The overal oilseed area has been good, however, as those crops are down just 0.9 percent with mustard/rapeseed the only one showing an increase and sunflowers suffering the greatest decrease within that category.
This drop in rabi area may be one reason why prices of the key crops that have alternate uses are rising. An example of this is pearl millet, which is a coarse grain grown in North India that is mostly used as food and in feed. It’s inclusion rate in poultry feed rations could be 1...
What You Need to Know Today: Tensions in the Middle East escalated over the weekend with Iran demanding the U.S. make multiple concessions that are likely non-starters before traffic can flow through the Strait of Hormuz again. Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey signed a mutual defense agreeme...
Senator John Boozman (R-Arkansas) has urged farmers to apply pressure on the failed farm bill during the August recess. His intent is to hold another vote on the legislation as soon as possible upon the Senate’s return from a five-week break on 14 September. From a parliamentary perspecti...
