Prolonged dry spell risks resowing of soyabean

Though local weathermen have denied any El Nino effect for prolonged dry spell, fear of re-sowing is looking large over soyabean crop across the country. Malwa of the Madhya Pradesh, which is a key soya growing area, has received below normal rainfall this year. “If it does not rain for few more days, it would require re-sowing, which can go up to July end,” Rajesh Agrawal, past-Chairman Sopa told Business Standard.

Indore-based Sopa (Soyabean Processors Association of India) is an independent agency, which does soyabean survey. Against expected 110 lakh hectare acreage sowing, according to Agrawal, 90% sowing has been completed. Madhya Pradesh has targeted 56.50 lakh hectare of sowing. “State has completed 52 lakh hectares sowing,” a well-placed official in state agriculture directed said.

At present germination of soyabean plant shows, crop condition is good. “If the dry spell continues, stress will claim the crop,” Agrawal said, “However as it was expected, sowing data says there is a 10% jump in acreage across India.”  

However, weathermen have said monsoon has drifted towards Himalayan terai region and hence there are no rains in Madhya Pradesh or Maharashtra. “As of now there is no El Nino effect but it would be significant after first week of August. At present there is no system on radar that can make us forecast rains in coming days. However scattered rains are likely to occur in eastern parts of Madhya Pradesh,”  a local weatherman said.

The districts of Ujjain, Ratlam, Indore and Khandwa have received below normal rainfall and Burhanpur district has received much lower. Except for Rewa, Shajapur, Mandsaur, Betul and Alirajpur all district have received below normal rainfall.

Earlier, the state government had estimated a fall in sowing this year due to stagnant prices of the commodity but sowing data indicates farmers have barely switched over to other crops. Farmers began sowing the crop from second week of June this year.