Rainfed agency draws contingency plan to counter late rains

The National Rainfed Area Authority (NRRA) has chalked out a district-wise contingency plan to mitigate the impact of late monsoon by dividing the sowing period into three phases and provided a detailed advisory on the planting of different crops.

As the country's 60 per cent of farm land depends on monsoon, NRRA, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Agriculture, has worked out the comprehensive plan asking farmers to sow specific crops in select regions.

According to the contingency plan, farmers are advised to sow basmati paddy crop in Central Punjab and short-duration paddy variety along with green and blackgram, pigeonpea in eastern Uttar Pradesh, respectively, between July 15 and 31.

Moreover, high-breed bajra and sorghum can be planted in the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh during this period.

Short-duration bajra, moong and guar can be sown in Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi and urad, sunflower, maize and pigeonpea in some of the paddy-growing areas of Bihar.

Similarly, moong, bajra, guar and maize can be planted in some districts of Punjab, Himachal and Uttar Pradesh in the first fortnight of August, while short-duration varieties of sorghum, bajra and moong can be sown in the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.