Farmers in the country have sown urad across 4.02 mln ha this kharif season, down 8.8% on year. Urad acreage during this kharif reason is already well above the five-year average of 3.12 mln ha for the corresponding week. In Madhya Pradesh, the largest grower of urad, acreage was down 7.7% on year at 1.65 mln ha as farmers shifted to paddy and soybean for lucrative returns.