Dry spell in north, central India threatens wheat harvest

Sowing in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh delayed

Sowing of rabi crops, as of Friday, remained lower than the same period last year and the area under cultivation was also less than normal due to decline in area sown under wheat, the main foodgrain grown during the rabi season.

High temperatures in northern India added to the prolonged dry weather, which delayed sowing of wheat in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, the two big producing states.

India Meteorological Department data showed that from October 1 to December 2, winter rains in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Vidharbha, and Marathwada were 60-80 per cent less than normal.

Karnal-based Directorate of Wheat Research said the dry weather and slow planting might have an impact on the final wheat output, unless there was a big improvement in the coming weeks.

Till date, wheat has been sown in 15.25 million hectares of land, almost 27 per cent less than the area covered during the same period last year.

This is also 21 per cent lower than the normal area, which gets covered during the same period.

“There is a possibility of effect on yield because of high temperatures,”  PTI reported quoting Indu Sharma, head of Directorate of Wheat Research.

“At present, the concern is that there can be low yield due to temperatures that are running high. A brief spell of cold did come but then again temperature shot up... High temperatures can affect the tillering process,” she said.

She added that if the weather turns suitable, it could compensate any yield loss.

According to private weather forecasting agency Skymet, there could be a spell of rains and thunderstorms over central and western parts of the country from December 9 onwards because of a western disturbance meeting with a low pressure area.

There is a possibility that the showers might extend to the northern parts as well.

Currently, minimum temperatures are two to four degrees more than normal in Punjab and Haryana.

In other crops, till Friday, pulses was sown in 10.04 million hectares, which is marginally lower than 10.69 million hectares sown during the same period last year, which witnessed good sowing of gram (chana).  Oilseeds  including mustard, were sown in 6.18 million hectares till Friday, around 700,000 hectares less than the same period last year.

Mustard alone was sown in 5.41 million hectares, 11 per cent less than the same period last year.

If there are further rains, it could push up the water levels in major reservoirs, which in western and central parts of the country are currently below last year’s level.

The Central Water Commission estimates water levels in 91 major reservoirs across the country at 81.10 billion cubic metres, which is 51 per cent of the capacity. A year ago, this level was 78 per cent of storage position.

Meanwhile, the Centre said in Parliament that eight states were reeling under drought and seven of them sought relief from the Centre totalling Rs 24,000 crore.