MP expects good soya output

With the onset of good monsoon, soya processors and farmers are expecting a good crop this year too. The crop estimate is however not decided as of now as sowing has not started in Madhya Pradesh.

Processors expect the acreage in Madhya Pradesh — known as the soya bowl of India — to touch more than 5.5 million hectare. According to Soyabean Processors Association of India, an Indore-based organisation that releases soya crop related estimates and data, “Soya is likely to cross more than 10 million hectare of acreage this year too.”

Although there was a shift from soya to other crop in the Malwa belt, the crop production during 2010-11 is likely to touch 5.5 million tonne. “This year we expect acreage in Madhya Pradesh to reach 5.5 million hectare. Sowing in states like Maharahstra has started, growers in Madhya Pradesh will start sowing by the fourth week of this month. The good monsoon sign augurs well for acreage and the crop,” said Rajesh Agrawal, Sopa spokesperson, adding, “Acreage is likely to touch more than 10 million hectare this year like the previous year.”

Madhya Pradesh contributes to 80 per cent of India’s total soya production. Barring a few dry spells in the late 90s, soya crop has never slipped to less than 3.8 million tonne in the state.

On the other hand, state government is likely to set a target of 5.55 million hectare acreage. “This year acreage will slightly go up from last year’s 5.5 million hectare,” said an official in the agriculture department.

Farmers in Malwa belt — Indore, Ujjain, some parts of Bhopal, Dhar and Jhabua have reported shortage of seed. The state needs at least 0.8 million tonnes seed while the availability is only 0.4-0.5 million tonnes.

According to the meteorology department, the state is likely to receive good spell of rains this fortnight of June. “Reports from across the state indicates the state is going to receive normal rain fall this year,” a MET department official said.