Dry weather slows initial phase of rabi sowing in some parts

Unusually dry weather this month, added to the poor southwest monsoon, seems to have compelled farmers to delay rabi sowing in some parts.

Sowing usually starts around October and the harvest takes place from January on. After the initial burst, sowing of almost all pulses, except chana (chickpea), seems to have slowed. The biggest impact seems to have been on the area under oilseeds, where mustard sowing at 650,000 ha is 65 per cent less than this time last year. This could put further pressure on prices, 40 per cent more than last year, mainly due to lower production in 2014-15. Mustard seed production in 2014-15 was estimated to be 19 per cent less than last year.  

Chana is the biggest of all the pulses grown, of the total annual production of 17-19 million tonnes. A good rabi crop is imperative to keep overall price rise in check. Preliminary data on rabi sowing shows chana planting on 1.74 million hectares till Friday, up from 1.52 mn ha during the same period last year. The current coverage is about a fifth of the usual total area.

Overall, pulses have been sown on 2.06 mn ha, down from 2.13 mn ha in the same period last year.

In all, rabi crops had been planted on 5.83 million hectares till Friday, almost the same as last year.

In October, India received 52 per cent less than normal rainfall. With the relatively poor June-September rain, has meant an extraordinary long dry spell in many parts.

Another worry are the dipping water levels in major reservoirs. Data from the Central Water Commission showed that as of Thursday, the level in the 91 major reservoirs was a combined 88.26 billion cubic metres, 56 per cent of the full capacity. In the same period last year, the levels were 74 per cent of full capacity, while the 10-year average is of 75 per cent.