One spell of follow-up rainfall with a minimum intensity of 2-3 mm in September may fetch good soybean yield this season, said industry sources, adding that the output may touch 10 million tonnes same as last year.
Since, soybean crop requires a fair amount of moisture in the soil to provide adequate nutrition to the plant, intermittent rainfall during the ongoing kharif season so far has helped the oilseed crop across major producing states, including Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Since September brings pods to soybean plants, adequate moisture throughout the area and plants is required during this period. Hence, September would be crucial for the soybean crop this season, said SK Shrivastava, director of Indore-based National Research Centre for Soybean (NRCS).
Drought during podding stage of the plant invites pest and insect attacks. Shrivastava feared that a long spell of drought next month might affect the overall yield and thereby the total output. Soybean was a versatile crop that could be grown with minimal rainfall also, said D N Pathak, director of the apex trade body, Central Organisation for Oil Industry and Trade (COOIT).
Total soybean output slipped marginally to 9.9 million tonnes in 2008-09 as compared to 10 million tonnes in the previous year, according to the fourth advance estimate released by COOIT on Friday.
Total oilseed output also declined marginally to 28.16 million tonnes in 2008-09 as compared to 28.83 million tonnes in 2007-08.
Meanwhile, oilseeds sowing area has declined 8.34 per cent this kharif season on deficient rain as hundreds of farmers awaited pre-monsoon showers to resume till late June-early July. Although monsoon bounced back, uneven distribution meant insufficient rain for sowing in majority of producing areas and waterlogging in farms elsewhere.
According to data compiled by COOIT, the area under oilseeds as on August 27, 2009 slumped by 14.46 lakh hectares to 158.86 lakh hectares as compared to 173.32 lakh hectares around same time last year.
Almost all major oilseeds, barring sesame seed, lost acreage this year with groundnut taking the lead with a loss of about 20 per cent. The area under groundnut nosedived 20 per cent or 9.96 lakh hectares to 40.24 lakh hectares from 50.20 lakh hectares last year, soybean fell 0.25 per cent to 94.95 lakh hectares from 95.19 lakh hectares till the same date last year.
