With the rain-fed monsoon core zone of central India getting adequate rainfall in the first fortnight of this month, sowing of key kharif crops — rice, pulses, oilseeds and cotton — has picked up pace. Overall sown area, so far, is at 65.81 million hectare (Mha), a 6% year-on-year decline. Until a week ago, sown area was 16% below last year’s level. Total sowing till July 17, according to the agriculture ministry, was 60% of the normal area of 110 mha.