Delay in rains hits kharif crop sowing

Sowing of Oilseed down 73 per cent and cotton down 42 per cent; sugarcane up

The late monsoon has delayed the sowing of kharif crops leading to fall in acreage, according to agriculture ministry's kharif acreage data that was released today.

Oilseeds sowing is down 73 per cent, rice fell by 17 per cent, cotton slipped 42 per cent and coarse cereals was down by 62 per cent. However, sugarcane and jute, showed a little rise in acreage.

OILSEEDS
Kharif sowing is down 73 per cent at 1.4 million hectares compared with 5.1 million hectares last year. The on-year shortfall is largely due to delayed monsoon. However, agriculture ministry still considers this year's sowing, as of today, to be 9 per cent above normal.

Groundnut sowing is down 63 per cent to 838,000 hectares compared to 2.3 million hectares last year.

Delayed rains also held up sowing.Currently, sowing has been stopped in the groundnut growing regions of Gujarat due to flood.

But, the agriculture ministry is yet to assess the damage to the earlier sown regions in the state that may have been caused by floods.

Soybean sowing is down 87 per cent at 245,000 hectares compared with 1.9 million hectares last year. This is largely due to intermittent rains in the sowing regions which is largely rainfed.

Sowing is likely to pick up this weak following India Meteorological Department forecast that monsoon current will strengthen in the region.

Sunflower sowing is down 63 per cent at 138,000 hectares, sesamum down 70 per cent at 140,000 hectares, niger seed down 81 per cent at 3,000 hectares and castor seed down 33 per cent at 28,000 hectares.

RICE
Though paddy sowing has commenced started in most states, however it fell by 17 per cent on year at 3.82 million hectares as on Monday.

The data attributed the shortfall to lower rice sowing in Punjab and Haryana due to advisory by the state governments for delayed sowing. Both the state governments had issued an advisory to delay rice sowing by around 15 days largely due to disrupted power supply.

COTTON
Cotton sowing is down 42 per cent on year to 1.90 million hectares. The shortfall is largely due to delayed south-west monsoon in Maharashtra's Marathwada region.

However, the state government still maintains that the cotton acreage target of 3 million hectares this year on hopes that monsoon current in the region is likely to strengthen.

COARSE CEREALS
The overall coarse cereals sowing is down 62 per cent to 2.17 million hectares.

The fall is largely due to delayed southwest monsoon in southern and central states. Moreover, sporadic rains in the central states have delayed sowing.

Acreage of jowar is estimated at 449,000 hectares compared with 992,000 hectares last year, down 55 per cent. Bajra sowing is down 79 per cent at 369,300 hectares and maize sowing is down 58 per cent at 1.1 million hectares.

SUGARCANE
Kharif sugarcane acreage is likely to be higher on year following various state governments announcing a higher purchase rate.

As of today, kharif sugarcane acreage is at 3.9 million hectares compared with 3.7 million hectares last year, up 5 per cent.

JUTE
The area coverage is reported to be 788,000 hectares compared with 769,000 hectares during the corresponding period last year.

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Seeds of doubt

• Kharif sowing is down 73 per cent at 1.4 million hectares compared with 5.1 million hectares last year
• Groundnut sowing is down 63 per cent to 838,000 hectares compared to 2.3 million hectares last year
• Soybean sowing is down 87 per cent at 245,000 hectares compared with 1.9 million hectares last year
• Sunflower sowing is down 63 per cent at 138,000 hectares, sesamum down 70 per cent at 140,000 hectares, niger seed down 81 per cent at 3,000 hectares and castor seed down 33 per cent at 28,000 hectares