Only 20 percent sowing was completed in the division comprising Palamau, Latehar and Garhwa with Latehar alone accounting for 65 percent, official sources said.
The farmers were asked to use seeds which would take less time to yield crops to compensate for the time lost due to delay in the monsoon, besides sowing regular seeds, the sources said.
Palamau district agriculture officer Mohammad Gyassudin said of a target of 45,000 hectare, sowing was taken up in 4,700 hectare.