Extended monsoon helps some crops in Maharashtra

Tho ugh it damaged the kharif crop, the untimely and extended rainfall has been beneficial for some major rabi crops in Maharashtra. As on January 3, wheat was sown over 1.09 million hectares against the target of 900,000 ha and in the case of gram, on 1.29 m ha against the target of 1.06 m ha.

However, sowing of jowar has fallen to 2.6 m ha against the target of 3.08 m ha. Similarly, sunflower has witnessed a dip in sowing to 82,000 ha, against the target of 203,000 ha.

An agriculture commissionerate official told Business Standard: “Extended rainfall is good for rabi crops, unlike kharif crops. In Maharashtra, nearly 35 per cent of the total foodgrains are grown during rabi and 65 per cent in the kharif season. Of the 14 m ha under kharif, crops on 1.25 m ha have been damaged by 50 per cent. However, this is not the case with rabi crops.”

The big exception is rabi onion. These were in the stage of transplantation. The seedlings got rotten in nurseries due to water stagnation following the unseasonal rain.. At some places, both seedlings and transplanted crop were washed off due to heavy rain. The crop n nursery and field was affected by blight ue to unfavorable climatic conditions.”

Said the official: “The kharif onion crop was ready to harvest, but it was damaged and farmers could not sell the produce. This created a shortage in the market and prices went up.
 

PARTIAL GAIN PROGRESS OF RABI SOWING AREA (IN ‘00 HECTARES)
Crop	2009-10	2010-11
Rabi Jowar	29,026	26,393
Wheat	10,806	10,964
Maize	1,021	1,028
Other rabi cereals	53	34
Total rabi cereals	40,906	38,419
Gram	13,326	12,909
Other rabi pulses	997	1,112
Total rabi pulses	14,322	14,021
Total foodgrain	55,228	52,440
Note: 2009-10 date is Feb 8, 2010 and 2010-11 date is Jan 3, 2011

Onion nurseries were infested with blight. Hence, there was meagre transplantation of the rabi onion. At present, there is a severe shortage of onion seed. The cloudy and humid weather is still adverse for whatever little crop is left in the field. The crop suffered more than 50 per cent losses on 175,000 ha.” He said Nashik was the worst-hit district, with more than 50 per cent damage on 99,000 ha.