The gap in Kharif season sowing figures between this year and the last appear to be shortening, according to data released by the Agriculture Ministry on Friday. Area under the season’s crops like rice, soyabean and cotton, is estimated at 890.82 lh, 3.2 per cent higher than at the same time last year.
With 85 per cent of sowing completed, the numbers indicate that area under most of the season’s crops is not likely to differ significantly from last year. The gap has been narrowing since mid-July and has become more pronounced in recent weeks with
While pulses acreage continues to edge higher than during the corresponding period in 2014-15, area under cotton has fallen over the last month.
Drought conditions prevailing across several tracts in the southern peninsula, central and eastern regions caught the Government’s attention with the Cabinet approving a Rs. 300 crore package to save Kharif crops.
As of Friday, India had received 9 per cent deficient rainfall largely due to a strong El Nino that private agency Skymet said was “possibly the strongest in recent decades”.
As per India Meteorology Department (IMD) data, there is 20 per cent shortfall in rain in the southern peninsula, and a 13 per cent and 8 per cent deficiency in the east -northeast and central regions, respectively. Surplus rainfall in the northwest has been wiped out.
Of 36 sub-divisions, 16 have received below normal rain. Marathwada, north interior Karnataka, Rayalaseema, Bihar, east and west Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and central Madhya Pradesh, are among the most acutely affected regions.
Crop data
Pulses like arhar (tur), urad and moong, have been sown across 97.44 lh, 11.6 per cent higher than the 87.29 lh recorded at the same time last year. Moong and urad coverage is up 17.9 per cent and 14.2 per cent, respectively.
Area under coarse cereals is up 5.6 per cent over the year, but shows a slowdown from 12.2 per cent year-on-year difference last week. Around 164 lh have been covered so far with crops like jowar, bajra and Kharif maize.
Oilseeds acreage stood at 163.78 lh, about 2 per cent higher than 160.83 lh during the corresponding period last year. While soyabean and sesamum areas are higher, castor and groundnut coverage has slipped 21.5 per cent and 3.3 per cent, respectively.
Cotton sowing has taken place over 108.67 lh, 7.1 per cent lower than the 116.91lh sown at the same time last year. Area under jute and mesta is stagnant and continues to be about 4 per cent lower.
Rice, the main Kharif foodgrain, has been planted in 300.55 lh, up 4.3 per cent while sugarcane area is up 3.5 per cent at 48.84 lh.