 "Sowing picks up as monsoon strengthens over Gujarat")
Sowing for this year’s Kharif season has picked up across the state with the monsoon becoming active over Gujarat. With almost all parts of Saurashtra, south and north Gujarat regions receiving rainfall since last two of days, sowing is expected to have reached over 50 per cent in the state, believe experts.
Monsoon has been active over Gujarat in the past couple of days with rainfall occurring at many places in Saurashtra, south Gujarat and north Gujarat regions. The weather department forecasts moderate to rather heavy rain or thundershowers at many places in the districts of Gujarat and in Diu, Daman and Dadra Nagar Haveli for the next 48 hours. This was due to the upper air cyclonic circulation over north east Arabian sea and adjoining Gujarat state, along with persistence of off shore trough from Gujarat coast to Kerala.
Vice chancellor of Anand Agriculture University (AAU) K B Kathiria said that sowing had gained pace in Saurashtra and north Gujarat region where especially cotton and groundnut farmers have begun tilling their land.
“Because of good rains in south, north Gujarat and Saurashtra region over the last few days sowing is being down at a brisk pace after a delay of over a month. It is likely to have reached over 50 per cent across the state,” Kathiria said.
The rains will benefit the cotton farmers the most, he said, adding that for groundnut farmers they will have to opt for a variety that has smaller crop cycle. “There could be some impact of groundnut farmers because of delay in rains. So if the farmers want then can now go for sesame, pulses and Bajra from maximum benefits,” Kathiria said.
Paddy and vegetable cultivation will also benefit from the revival of the monsoon over Gujarat, said vice chancellor of the Navsari Agriculture University, A R Pathak. “There has been continuous rain in south Gujarat region for the last 2-3 days which is good for paddy growers. Those growers whose paddy might have been damaged due to delay in rain can go in for sowing of sprouted paddy for better yield now,” he said, adding that vegetable and fruit cultivation in south Gujarat will also benefit from the rains.
Farmers in the state, especially those in the Saurashtra region have renewed their hopes of better crop this Kharif season. Dilip Ramani of Nagar Pipaliya village in Rajkot district said that sowing has picked up in his village following rains in the last few days. “Though sowing for groundnut has been delayed because of no rains in June and first half of July, the recent revival of the monsoon is likely to cover up for the time lost,” Ramani said.
He said that now the farmers have to opt for those variety of groundnut which have a smaller crop cycle. “Though the productivity will be impacted due to delay in sowing, but the situation has improved in the last couple of days and is likely to cover up the delay caused,” claimed Ramani.
For cotton he said that there would not be much damage as there was still time for sowing. “It is necessary that such conducive atmosphere for sowing continues and is followed by regular spell of rains in the coming days. Otherwise, the cotton farmers could face the heat,” he added. Ramani has 40 bighas of land out of which he has sown cotton in 25 bigha while in rest he is cultivating groundnut and pegion pea (tur).
Another farmer from Rajula block of Amreli, Shymalsinh Parsana said that in his village has seen some impact on the cotton crop. “Due to the delay in rains cotton crop have suffered in some parts, but now with consistent rains over the last few days the loss could is likely to be minimised,” Parsana said. He, however, believed that there would certainly be significant impact of groundnut production in the state. Parsana has 100 bigha land out of which he has sown cotton on 80 bigha and on the rest he will cultivated groundnut.
Till July 14 this year the total sowing in the state was in 1.82 million hectares land as against 6.26 million hectares in corresponding period last year. This is 21 per cent of the total sowing in the state considering average of last three years. Sowing for groundnut and cotton has been the highest with 0.54 million hectares and 1.19 million hectares respectively.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) here, in the last 24 hours highest rainfall registered was 155 mm in Umergam, followed by Gandevi (118 mm), Vapi (112 mm), Valsad (106 mm), Veraval (103 mm), Khergam (99 mm), Malia (95 mm) and Mangrol (90 mm). Almost all blocks of districts like Rajkot, Junagadh, Amreli, Gir Somnath, Dwarka, Porbander in Saurashtra and Valsad, Navsari, Dangs and Surat have received rainfall since Wednesday.
Monsoon has been active over Gujarat in the past couple of days with rainfall occurring at many places in Saurashtra, south Gujarat and north Gujarat regions. The weather department forecasts moderate to rather heavy rain or thundershowers at many places in the districts of Gujarat and in Diu, Daman and Dadra Nagar Haveli for the next 48 hours. This was due to the upper air cyclonic circulation over north east Arabian sea and adjoining Gujarat state, along with persistence of off shore trough from Gujarat coast to Kerala.
Vice chancellor of Anand Agriculture University (AAU) K B Kathiria said that sowing had gained pace in Saurashtra and north Gujarat region where especially cotton and groundnut farmers have begun tilling their land.
“Because of good rains in south, north Gujarat and Saurashtra region over the last few days sowing is being down at a brisk pace after a delay of over a month. It is likely to have reached over 50 per cent across the state,” Kathiria said.
The rains will benefit the cotton farmers the most, he said, adding that for groundnut farmers they will have to opt for a variety that has smaller crop cycle. “There could be some impact of groundnut farmers because of delay in rains. So if the farmers want then can now go for sesame, pulses and Bajra from maximum benefits,” Kathiria said.
Paddy and vegetable cultivation will also benefit from the revival of the monsoon over Gujarat, said vice chancellor of the Navsari Agriculture University, A R Pathak. “There has been continuous rain in south Gujarat region for the last 2-3 days which is good for paddy growers. Those growers whose paddy might have been damaged due to delay in rain can go in for sowing of sprouted paddy for better yield now,” he said, adding that vegetable and fruit cultivation in south Gujarat will also benefit from the rains.
Farmers in the state, especially those in the Saurashtra region have renewed their hopes of better crop this Kharif season. Dilip Ramani of Nagar Pipaliya village in Rajkot district said that sowing has picked up in his village following rains in the last few days. “Though sowing for groundnut has been delayed because of no rains in June and first half of July, the recent revival of the monsoon is likely to cover up for the time lost,” Ramani said.
He said that now the farmers have to opt for those variety of groundnut which have a smaller crop cycle. “Though the productivity will be impacted due to delay in sowing, but the situation has improved in the last couple of days and is likely to cover up the delay caused,” claimed Ramani.
For cotton he said that there would not be much damage as there was still time for sowing. “It is necessary that such conducive atmosphere for sowing continues and is followed by regular spell of rains in the coming days. Otherwise, the cotton farmers could face the heat,” he added. Ramani has 40 bighas of land out of which he has sown cotton in 25 bigha while in rest he is cultivating groundnut and pegion pea (tur).
Another farmer from Rajula block of Amreli, Shymalsinh Parsana said that in his village has seen some impact on the cotton crop. “Due to the delay in rains cotton crop have suffered in some parts, but now with consistent rains over the last few days the loss could is likely to be minimised,” Parsana said. He, however, believed that there would certainly be significant impact of groundnut production in the state. Parsana has 100 bigha land out of which he has sown cotton on 80 bigha and on the rest he will cultivated groundnut.
Till July 14 this year the total sowing in the state was in 1.82 million hectares land as against 6.26 million hectares in corresponding period last year. This is 21 per cent of the total sowing in the state considering average of last three years. Sowing for groundnut and cotton has been the highest with 0.54 million hectares and 1.19 million hectares respectively.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) here, in the last 24 hours highest rainfall registered was 155 mm in Umergam, followed by Gandevi (118 mm), Vapi (112 mm), Valsad (106 mm), Veraval (103 mm), Khergam (99 mm), Malia (95 mm) and Mangrol (90 mm). Almost all blocks of districts like Rajkot, Junagadh, Amreli, Gir Somnath, Dwarka, Porbander in Saurashtra and Valsad, Navsari, Dangs and Surat have received rainfall since Wednesday.