Of the 151.34 lakh hectares of land under kharif cultivation, including sugarcane, sowing on 60.56 lakh hectares (40 per cent) has been completed in Maharashtra.
Kharif cultivation, except sugarcane, is done on 141.99 lakh hectares, of which sowing operations have been completed on 59.60 lakh hectares by June 22.
Notwithstanding the germination-related complaints by soybean farmers, the State Agriculture Department, in its report, has stated that germination of all kharif crops is satisfactory. The State has received an average 207.6 mm rainfall in June. By June 22, the state has received 176.80 mm (85.10 per cent) rain.
Crops in five districts including Amrawati, Wardha, Nagpur, Bhandara and Gondia have been damaged by locust swarms, according to a report by the State government.
Cyclone Nisarga has affected crops spread over 33,038 hectares in Konkan, Nashik, Pune and Kolhapur districts.
Meanwhile, complaints by soybean farmers continue to pour in from all across Maharashtra. Farmers have been complaining about the germination of soya seeds purchased from private companies, as well as government-certified seeds. District administrations are preparing reports based on complaints filed by the farmers.