 "Kharif sowing complete in 92% area")
The normal area here is the average for the past five years. Usually, kharif crops are sown on 105.28 mn ha every year, which means sowing is complete in almost 92 per cent of the normal area.
Though the southwest monsoon has been below normal so far, its distribution has been fairly good, except over parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka and north India.
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The area under pulses has increased by 12 per cent so far to 10.55 mn ha this kharif so far, against 9.41 mn ha in the year-ago period. The sown area under coarse grain and oilseeds is more so far, 17.25 mn ha for the former from the 16.7 mn ha; oilseeds are on 17.45 mn ha from 17.22 mn a year before.The area planted to rice, the key kharif crop, is almost at last year's level, 34.58 mn ha this kharif against 34.54 mn in the year-ago period. Among cash crops, the area under cotton is 11.26 mn ha from 12.25 mn last year. Sugarcane is on 4.88 mn ha from 4.71 mn a year before till date.
Fearing damage to the standing crop due to deficit rains, the central government has announced a Rs 300 crore relief package, including diesel and seed subsidy, for farmers. The overall monsoon rain deficit is 12 per cent so far. Some parts of Maharashtra, north interior Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar are worst hit.
The Pune-based Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology had a few days earlier said the monsoon might show signs of withdrawal from the northwest from the beginning of September. If accurate, it would mean the withdrawal will be on the usual schedule, belying hope of an extended run. The rains usually start withdrawing from parts of Rajasthan from September 1.
In the 91 major reservoirs, the water level as on Thursday was a combined 91.84 billion cubic metres, 87 per cent of last year’s level and 88 per cent of that in the past 10-year average. The biggest fall has been in the reservoirs of eastern, western and southern India.