Higher rice planting in India, the world's second-biggest producer of the grain, will ease concerns about lower output of the staple.
Farmers typically start planting rice, corn, cotton, soybeans, sugarcane and peanuts, among other crops, from June 1, when monsoon rains are expected to begin drenching India.
For June and July together, India's monsoon rains were 5% above average, falling 10% below normal in June but rebounding to 13% above average in July.
Farmers planted 17.9 million hectares (44.2 million acres) with oilseeds, including soybeans, 2.2% more than a year earlier.
Corn was planted on 7.6 million hectares (18.8 million acres), up from 7.5 million hectares a year earlier.
Persons:
Amit Dave, Mayank Bhardwaj, William Mallard
Organizations:
REUTERS, Farmers, Thomson
Locations:
Indian, Ahmedabad, India, Farmers, drenching India, Punjab, Haryana