Rabi sowing tardy as crops' coverage slips

Rabi sowing continues to be a cause for concern with area under most crops being lower compared with the corresponding period a year ago.

Prospects for a late pick-up look tough with the storage level in the major 85 reservoirs dropping to lower than the last 10 year’s average and the North-East Monsoon being deficient.

Data from the Ministry of Agriculture on Friday showed that overall coverage of crops is also lower at 470.44 lakh hectares (lh) against 503.66 lh.

The area under wheat is down to 241.91 lh against 251.32 lh a year ago. Poor soil moisture, owing to 12 per cent deficient South-East Monsoon during June-September and late start to the cane crushing season in Uttar Pradesh resulting in sugarcane harvest being delayed have affected wheat coverage.

In Uttar Pradesh, sugar mills began crushing late demanding that the State Government cane price be linked to sugar rates as suggested by the C Rangarajan Committee.

Coverage of coarse cereals is down at 46.22 lh against 50.62 lh, while chana, the main rabi pulses crop, is also seeing a drop in area.

It is down by over 14 lh, despite prices showing a tendency to rise over the last couple of weeks.

Overall pulses coverage too is lower by some 13 lh, a trend that was witnessed during kharif crop too since growers shifted to cash crops such as cotton.

Sowing in oilseeds is also down by some six lakh hectares with mustard/rapeseed being the worst hit. Lack of interest among farmers in view of a global glut in vegetable oils could be the reason for a lower acreage.

The problem for the Government could stem from a lower rabi harvest on top of kharif production falling by nearly 10 million tonnes to 120.27 million tonnes.

The trouble for the Centre is 35 per cent deficiency in the North-East monsoon.

Some of the crucial parts of the country such as Andhra Pradesh, northern Karnataka, central Maharashtra that depend on this monsoon, which begins from October 1, have received 50 per cent deficient rainfall. Other parts of the country, mainly the wheat growing regions in the North have received scanty rainfall. Reservoir levels, too, aren’t encouraging as they are lower at 97.419 billion cubic metres (BCM) or 63 per cent of the 155.046 BCM capacity. Last year, the level was 75 per cent of the capacity and the last 10 years average is 64 per cent of 99.901 BCM.

The storage level and North-East Monsoon count since a majority of the crops is rain-fed.

Historically, kharif crop contributes to 60 per cent of the country’s annual foodgrain production. However, in the last few years rabi crops have been making up a lot for any failure in the kharif crop.

Lower farm production could affect the Government’s plan to rein in fiscal deficit and inflation. Already, prices of pulses are rising due to lower kharif production and fears of rabi output also being hit.