 "States asked to ensure seeds, fertilisers for rabi")
To compensate for kharif foodgrain output loss, the government has urged states to ensure higher seed and fertiliser availability in the coming rabi season.
It has also asked states to address the 3.37 million hectares of area left unsown due to delay and then deficient rainfall in the kharif season.
The ministry of agriculture’s First Advanced Estimate for 2014-15 forecast kharif foodgrain output at 120.27 million tonnes, around 7.5 per cent lower than the record production at 129.24 mt in the same season last year.
The government has set a rice production target for the rabi season at 14 mt, as compared to 14.85 mt in the previous season, according to the Fourth Advanced Estimate. Wheat production is fixed at 94 mt, as against 95.51 mt the previous year.
“After a delayed start, the overall monsoon rainfall has remained 11 per cent deficient this season, resulting in a 3.5 per cent lower coverage area under kharif. The total area under kharif crops fell to 9.99 mn ha this season, compared with 10.37 mha earlier. States, therefore, should be ready with higher availability of seeds and fertiliser,” said J S Sandhu, agriculture commissioner.
Erratic rainfall and dry spells in several parts of the country will also impact the production. That of most crops is expected to be lower than their record output of last year.
However, these are preliminary estimates and do not take into account the positive impact of rain this month. Also, from past experience, the first advance estimates reported by states are generally conservative and subsequently undergo upward revision.
Rice, soybean and a majority of pulses are primarily grown in the kharif season; a small quantity of these are also produced in the rabi season. Wheat, pulses and mustard are sown largely in rabi.
Sandhu said fertiliser is another area needing attention.
“Commodities with a higher seed replacement ratio require additional quantities of hybrid seed for sowing, while farmers sow conventional seeds from their carryover stocks,” an analyst said.
It has also asked states to address the 3.37 million hectares of area left unsown due to delay and then deficient rainfall in the kharif season.
The ministry of agriculture’s First Advanced Estimate for 2014-15 forecast kharif foodgrain output at 120.27 million tonnes, around 7.5 per cent lower than the record production at 129.24 mt in the same season last year.
The government has set a rice production target for the rabi season at 14 mt, as compared to 14.85 mt in the previous season, according to the Fourth Advanced Estimate. Wheat production is fixed at 94 mt, as against 95.51 mt the previous year.
“After a delayed start, the overall monsoon rainfall has remained 11 per cent deficient this season, resulting in a 3.5 per cent lower coverage area under kharif. The total area under kharif crops fell to 9.99 mn ha this season, compared with 10.37 mha earlier. States, therefore, should be ready with higher availability of seeds and fertiliser,” said J S Sandhu, agriculture commissioner.
Erratic rainfall and dry spells in several parts of the country will also impact the production. That of most crops is expected to be lower than their record output of last year.
However, these are preliminary estimates and do not take into account the positive impact of rain this month. Also, from past experience, the first advance estimates reported by states are generally conservative and subsequently undergo upward revision.
Rice, soybean and a majority of pulses are primarily grown in the kharif season; a small quantity of these are also produced in the rabi season. Wheat, pulses and mustard are sown largely in rabi.
Sandhu said fertiliser is another area needing attention.
“Commodities with a higher seed replacement ratio require additional quantities of hybrid seed for sowing, while farmers sow conventional seeds from their carryover stocks,” an analyst said.