Erratic rains distort crop sowing trend

MONSOON WATCH

Skewed distribution of monsoon rainfall and flawed kharif pricing policy seem to have impacted crop sowing trend.

The planting of predominantly rainfed crops of coarse cereals, pulses and oilseeds, for which the prices have been kept by and large unchanged, has tended to slow down in past couple of weeks. The sowing of cotton and sugarcane is more or less over and both these crops have gained in acreage.

The over all deficit in cumulative monsoon rainfall this season is now down to mere 2 per cent. Of the total 36 meteorological sub-divisions, 26 have received normal or above normal rainfall and 10 others over 20 per cent below normal rainfall.

Consequently, several parts of the country have reeled in past few weeks under floods and heavy downpours, while a few others, notably in Bihar, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and western Rajasthan, have faced moisture stress for want of adequate rains. The fate of crops in the areas falling in both these categories is in jeopardy.

Besides, high humidity and cloudy conditions prevailing in central and western India may encourage growth of crop pests and diseases. Farmers have been advised to remain vigilant and take timely plant protection measures in cotton, paddy and sugarcane fields.

The farmers of rain-battered areas of Gujarat, central Maharashtra, Konkan, Goa and coastal Andhra Pradesh have been asked to drain out excess water and postpone application of fertilisers and pesticides till the weather clears up.

They have also been suggested to remove weeds from the fields. In rain-deficit areas, on the other hand, farmers have been advised to go in for either short-duration varieties of normal crops or alternative early maturing crops.

The National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) today said the low pressure area that hovered till yesterday over southwest Madhya Pradesh and adjoining southeast Rajasthan is likely to move west-northwestwards and weaken in next 48 hours.

As a result, rainfall intensity in Gujarat, Konkan, Goa and north-central Maharashtra may decrease during next 24-48 hours but scattered rainfall is likely to continue during this period.

At the same time, rainfall in predicted to increase in the north-east and the Gangetic plains which is viewed by agriculturists as a welcome sign as these tracts have so far remained rain deficient.

Information on crop sowing available with the agriculture ministry indicates that paddy has already been planted on about 262.7 lakh hectare this season. This is about 13.83 lakh hectare more than the area covered till this date last year.

Paddy transplanting is still continuing.But the area under coarse grains is down this year to 185.43 lakh hectare compared with 189.8 lakh hectare planted under these crops by this time last season.

While sowing of maize is relatively higher than past year, that of bajra is down by 4.66 lakh hectare to 68.7 hectare. The area shortfall is accounted for largely by poor sowing in Karnataka and Rajasthan due to subdued rainfall.

The sowing of pulses had remained ahead of last year's corresponding position till a couple of weeks back but slowed down subsequently. The total area planted under pulses till August 11 was estimated at 95.45 lakh hectare, down 1.2 per cent from last year's corresponding area of 96.58 lakh hectare.

The shortfall is largely in moth bean area in Rajasthan. The standing crops of urad, mung and arhar in parts of Karnataka are reported to be facing moisture stress.

In oilseed crops, the shortfall in sowing is even more glaring. The total areas planted so far is only 149.9 lakh hectare, some 6 per cent lower than the last year's corresponding coverage of 159.7 lakh hectare.

The deficit is mainly in groundnut which has been sown on 22 per cent lesser area so far this year. The prolonged dry spell in July in Andhra Pradesh's groundnut belt is held responsible for this.

However, the revival of the monsoon in August in this belt is reported to have saved the standing crops which were on the verge of withering. The coverage of soyabean is relatively higher at 79 lakh hectare, against last year's 75.8 lakh hectare.

Water storage in 76 major reservoirs is over 53 per cent higher than long period average. The total stored water was reckoned by the Central Water Commission on August 14 at 92 billion cubic metres (BCM), some 7 per cent above last year's corresponding position of 86 BCM. The long period average storage for this date is 60 BCM.