Gujarat rabi sowing up 17% wheat area dips

Rabi sowing in Gujarat has jumped 17 per cent to 3.64 million hectares (ha) as of on Wednesday, against 3.1 million ha reported during the same period last year. However, the area under wheat cultivation fell as a delayed monsoon and weather conditions prompted farmers to take up alternative crops like potato.

According to data released by the state government on Wednesday, wheat sowing for the current rabi season has fallen from 1.2 million ha last year to 1.1 million ha. The area under potato has increased from 52,000 ha last year to 78,100 ha this rabi season.

“Wheat acreage has fallen but that of vegetables like potato and onion has gained significantly. Overall sowing in the rabi season has been good and we expect good yield this year,” said D Z Patel, joint director of agriculture. However, the country’s overall wheat acreage was 29.4 million ha, up by 300,000 ha over last year. Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Jharkhand reported higher acreage for wheat at 602,000 ha, 311,000 ha and 65,000 ha, respectively. Farmers from Gujarat and mainly from Ahmedabad district said lower realisations had led to a shift from wheat to other crops.

“Monsoon was delayed and there was not enough moisture in the land. Hence, many farmers in the Bhaal region (southern part of Ahmedabad) avoided sowing wheat this season. High farm input cost and low returns from selling is affecting the farmers badly, mainly the wheat farmers,” said Hasmukhbhai Dabhi, secretary (Ahmedabad), Bharatiya Kisan Sangh.

Meanwhile, recent weather extremities in Kutch and Saurashtra have raised concern among jeera and castor farmers. Unseasonal rain and hailstorm was reported last week in Kutch and Jamnagar district of Saurashtra. Contrary to fear of a possible damage to crops, local state government offices have not reported any such damage so far.

“We have not received any report of damage in jeera or castor crop in this region. The overall crop condition for jeera as well as for castor is good and we can expect more production than last year,” said an official from the agriculture department.

Jeera prices were at Rs 15,500 a quintal in the spot market. Arrivals at the Unjha market were 4,000 bags (a bag = 55 kg). “This year, about 500,000 bags of carryover stock is expected for jeera. The crop is likely to remain around 4 million bags, against 4.5 million bags last year. Domestic consumption is likely to remain around 3.5 million bags and export demand of about 500,000 bags. Prices are likely to remain firm till fresh arrivals start in February,” said Arvind Patel, jeera analyst at Unjha.