Maharashtra farmers have completed sowing on only 47 per cent of the 142.02 lakh hectares of land available for kharif sowing (except sugarcane). So far, they have covered 66.78 lakh hectares. The delayed monsoon is likely to affect moong (green gram) and urad (black matpe) production as farmers prefer soya, cotton, and tur (pigeon pea) cultivation, a the State Agriculture Department estimate points out.
The sowing report published by the department showed the State has a total of 152.97 lakh hectares available for kharif including sugarcane cultivation and sowing has been completed on 67.31 lakh hectares ( 44 per cent).
Last year during the same period, kharif sowing was completed on 72.42 per cent of land (excluding sugarcane) and 69 per cent of sowing on land including sugarcane.
Slow sowing operations
Sowing operations have slowed down due to delayed monsoon and by July 10, the State has received 72.3 per cent of the average rainfall against 108.3 per cent average rainfall last season.
Only three districts — Thane, Palghar, and Gondia — have received more than 100 per cent rainfall. Farmers in many districts are worried about the second round of sowing which would impose additional financial burden on them.
Sowing of foodgrain has been completed on 13.04 lakh hectares (lh) compared with 56.09 lh. Oilseeds have been planted on 25.63 lh out of 43.92 lh. Cotton farmers brought over 28. 11 lh under cultivation out of 42.01 lh.
Meanwhile, the State government has said it has not received any report regarding losses incurred by farmers in July.