Farmers hasten kharif sowing to benefit from June rains

The southwest monsoon so far in July has been 32% less than normal across the country

Sowing of kharif crops was complete in nearly half the normal area as on Thursday as farmers having rushed to plant their crops to take advantage of the moisture from the good June showers. This is much better than in the corresponding period in 2014, when sowing was done in only 33 per cent area.

The southwest monsoon so far in July has been 32 per cent less than normal across the country, with rains in central and southern India being 54 per cent and 60 per cent less than normal. June rains were 31 per cent more than normal over central India, while over southern India the showers were 19 per cent more than normal.

“Farmers tend to sow their crop in rainfed areas as soon as the first showers come and if they (rains) are more than normal, then it is better. The current increase in acreage is mainly due to good June showers,” Ramesh Chand, director of the National Centre for Agriculture Economics and Policy Research, told Business Standard.

According to him, the situation is worrisome for western and southern India if the break in showers continues for another 10 days.

Data from the agriculture department show till July 17, the pulses were planted in 5.59 million hectares of land, which is 134.07 per cent more than the area covered during the same period last year.

Oilseeds, which includes soybean and groundnut, has been sown in 12.71 million hectares till Friday, 234 per cent more than the area covered during the same period last year.

Sowing has been complete in 50 per cent of the normal area covered under pulses and oilseeds so far in the current season.

Paddy, the main kharif foodgrain grown during the season, has been planted in 13.21 million hectares till July 16, more than the 12.65 million hectares covered during the same period last year.

Coarse cereals has been planted in 10.23 million hectares till Friday, more than double the area covered during the corresponding period last year.

The southwest monsoon in 2015 has been only seven per cent less than normal, as on July 17, largely because of good rains in June.

However, there have been pockets that have received very little rainfall in the past six weeks of this season. These areas — Marathwada, Gujarat and south interior Karnataka — face the highest prospect of drought.

Data from the Central Water Commission show water levels in 90 major reservoirs across the country on July 16 are at 51.62 billion cubic metres. This is 133 per cent of the storage position in the corresponding period last year and 112 per cent of the 10-year average.

In Central India, the water level in the reservoirs was at 42. 30 billion cubic metres, which was better than the same period last year.

Water in the reservoirs becomes crucial if southwest monsoon falters in the second half as reliance on them will increase for the next rabi-sowing season.