Sunflower cultivation booms in Nagpur

 "Productivity is expected to be about 8-9 quintals/hectare this season, leading to a yield of 2,280 to 2,565 quintals for the entire taluka," P M Dhoke, agriculture assistant at the taluka office, said.

Another reason for sunflower's popularity is that it can be sown anytime of the year despite it mainly being a rabi crop. "A wet field is sufficient and the plant has to be watered only twice during its complete cycle," D S Pawar, taluka superintendent at the Nagpur Taluka Agriculture Office, said.