Sowing operations of kharif crops including paddy will gather pace following the forecast of monsoon hitting the Kerala coast on May 30, two days ahead of its schedule.
The sowing of kharif crops (summer sown) has already started. As per the Agriculture Ministry data, farmers have sown paddy in 1.30 lakh hectares till last week, marginally lower than the year ago period.
Although monsoon is arriving on time, the forecast of below normal monsoon has raised fears that foodgrains prdouction may fall in 2015-16 crop year (July-June).
The country had received 12 per cent deficient rain in 2014, which resulted over 5 per cent decline in foodgrains production.
The foodgrains production is estimated to have declined by 5.25 per cent to 251.12 million tonnes in 2014-15 crop year due to poor monsoon and unseasonal rain in last two months.
Production of almost all the crops in 2014-15 declined compared to 2013-14 crop year.
Below normal forecast of monsoon by weather office, has prompted the government to put in place a contingency plan and push crop insurance for farmers.
The contingency plan would cover as many as 580 districts that may witness monsoon deficit, while the Agriculture Ministry is also mulling over steps to popularise crop insurance schemes among the farming community.
The timely onset of south-west monsoon is crucial for sowing of kharif (summer) crops like paddy and a deficit in rainfall may hit the rice output.
Preparing for below-average rains, the Agriculture Ministry is working hard to minimise the impact of weak monsoon on kharif production especially rice and food inflation.
"The state governments have been asked to fully gear up to implement the contingency plan in 580 districts. In some districts, we are updating contingency measures as per the local needs," Agriculture Secretary Siraj Husain had said.
Agriculture, which contributes only 15 per cent to India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) but employs about 60 per cent of population, is heavily dependent on monsoon as only 40 per cent of the cultivable area is under irrigation.
