Low rainfall likely to hit Haryana foodgrain production

Low rainfall in July, resulting in lower acreage, could possibly thwart the kharif foodgrain production target set by the Haryana agriculture department .

Agriculture scientists say that with the acreage having gone down, foodgrain production is bound to be impacted the as well.

Earlier this year, the agriculture department had set target of 52.81 lakh tonnes (lt) of foodgrains production in the state, which is 5.15% higher compared to previous year.

In 2011-12, the kharif foodgrain production in the state was registered at 50.22 lt.

Even as the state agriculture department officials refuse to believe the foodgrain production target this year could fall short, agriculture data clearly reflects acreage for some of the crops has fallen short.

Even as per per initial estimates by the Centre, kharif food grain production in the country this year is likely to decline by 10 per cent on account of poor initial rains in July.

Agriculture officials in the state, however, believe late rains in August and September could undo some damage.

According to the metrology department, rain deficiency in Haryana this monsoon stands at 36 per cent.

As a result, the area under two foodgrains, paddy and bajra, has come down, shows data from the state agriculture department.

The area under paddy cultivation in Haryana this year has declined by 12 per cent compared to last year.

The final paddy area in Haryana registered this year is 10.82 lakh hectares as against 12.35 lakh hectares registered last year.

Similarly in the case of bajra, the area under cultivation this year has reduced by almost 50 per cent.

The area under bajra cultivation last year was 5.77 lakh hectares as against 2.98 lakh hectares covered this year.

In the case of maize, against the target set for 15,000 hectares, the area under cultivation this year is 11,000 hectares.