Sowing in Gujarat reaches 61%

Two major kharif crops, cotton and groundnut, completed sown in 95% and 77% areas respectively

With monsoon becoming active over Gujarat since last week, sowing in the state has jumped to 61.62 per cent  from 38 per cent on July 21. Sowing for two major kharif crops of Gujarat cotton and groundnut has been completed in 95 per cent and 77 per cent areas respectively. However, for paddy, sowing was yet to pick up as its sowing area was recorded at 35 per cent, as on July 28.

The state agriculture department data showed that with almost all parts of the state receiving good rainfall since last week, sowing was completed in 5.35 million hectares by July 28 which was 3.29 million hectares a week ago. Last year till July 28 sowing was completed in 7.51 million hectares.

Maximum sowing has been recorded for cotton in 2.58 million hectares which is 95.11 per cent of the total cotton sowing area which is 2.72 million hectares. Last year during the corresponding period the sowing was completed in 2.61 million hectares.

For groundnut the sowing has been completed in 1.12 million hectares against total sowing area of 1.44 million hectares, which comes to 77.81 per cent. Last year till July 28 groundnut sowing was done in 1.59 million hectares.

Farmers in the state have also opted for sesame for which sowing has been done in 81,100 hectares which is 68 per cent of the total area of 119,100 hectares. In 2013 kharif season for the corresponding time period sowing for sesame was done in 98,800 hectares.

However, sowing has been significantly low in the paddy growing region due to delay in rains. Paddy sowing has been reported in 2,62,800 hectares as against normal sowing area of 7,36,700 hectares, which comes to 35.67 per cent. In the previous kharif season till July 28 sowing was completed in 7,00,900 hectares of land.

Director of Agriculture, Gujarat, S R Chaudhary said that sowing has picked up in most parts of the state with the monsoon becoming active since last week. “With the central and north Gujarat receiving good rains in last week sowing for paddy has other crops have picked up. We are likely to see a significant rise in paddy sowing in the coming week,” Chaudhary said.

When asked if there was any crop damage in regions of south Gujarat region which have received excess rainfall, Chaudhary said that his department has not received any reports of damage from any district. “However, we have sought reports on damages from our district offices which is likely to come in a few days,” he added.

Navasari Agriculture University vice chancellor A R Pathak was of the opinion that crops like paddy and sugarcane were less likely to be affected by the heavy rains.

“However, some pulses like tur and vegetables could suffer some damage due to excess rains,” he explained. The data released by the state agriculture department showed that sowing was still low for pulses and cereals which was recorded at 39 per cent and 37 per cent respectively till July 28, 2014.  

For pulses like tur, moong, muth and others sowing has been completed in 1,99,400 hectares against normal sowing area of 5,11,200 hectares. Last season the figure till July 28 stood at 3,98,800 hectares. While for cereals like paddy, jowar, bajra and maize sowing has been done in 5,68,400 hectares against total area of 1.54 million hectares. Last year the sowing during the same period was done in 1.23 million hectares.