Sowing of rabi crops in Telangana was at 7.3 million acres (1 acre = 0.4 hectares) as of Wednesday, up 10.3% from 6.6 million acres a year ago. Maize acreage in the state rose 22.2% on year to 789,049 acres, the report showed. Rabi crops are sown between October and December after the monsoon, and harvested between February and May. However, sowing started late this year because of delay in withdrawal of the southwest monsoon. This in turn delayed the harvest of kharif crops, which were due to be sown later in the year. The total area sown under all pulses fell to 289,691 acres from 318,556 acres ayear ago, according to the report. The water level in reservoirs across the state was 496.15 billion cubic metres as of. Wednesday, compared with 298.33 billion cubicmetres a year earlier.