Rabi crop sowing picks up in Malwa region

In spite of scanty rainfall and drought like conditions in Malwa region, sowing operations for the current Rabi season are picking up, however intense cold in the region has created poor conditions for farmers, who lost almost entire gram (chana) crop last year.

The farmers have already completed 80 per cent sowing under 6.82 million hectare against targeted 8.5 million hectare. Since wheat is the main Rabi crop in Madhya Pradesh, the state is expecting almost 50 per cent fall in production in Malwa belt which received poor rainfall this year. Against the targeted 3.7 million hectare, the wheat sowing has been completed in 2.50 million hectare.

Sources in the department have said that low wheat acreage has been reported in Malwa belt. The state government had expected gram sowing to be completed in 2.8 million hectare against 2.4 million hectare of the previous year but sowing has been completed on 2.53 million hectare.

Other crops including mustard, linseed, legumes and masoor have also behind expected target so far. Mustard growers have completed sowing in 7.58 lakh hectare against targeted 8.35 lakh hectare. Against targeted 75000 hectare sugarcane has been planted in 21000 hectare. “The overall Rabi crop scene outlook seen average,” an agri expert told BS.

Wheat sowing in Malwa region, which is main wheat growing belt of the state, has been completed in 2.22 lakh hectare against targeted 3.72 lakh hectare, while Gwalior has covered an area of 3 lakh hectare against targeted 4.63 lakh hectare, Chambal has covered 1 lakh hectare against 1.85 lakh hectare and Bundelkhand belt has covered 4.53 lakh hectare against 4.80 lakh hectare. The state government has revised target upwards in Gwalior-Chambal and Bundelkhand region since these areas had received normal to excess rainfall.

Besides scanty rainfall, dry reservoirs and projected low irrigation area have also affected Rabi sowing this year. Speaking to Business Standard earlier, the state chief minister Shivraj Singh had admitted that all main reservoirs like Tawa, Barna, Bergi, Sanjay Gandhi etc., are dry and the state government has feared the potential irrigation area to go down by 3-4 lakh hectare from 7 lakh hectare of the previous year.

While a senior officials of the farmers welfare and agriculture development department had earlier said, Malwa belt would lose 25 per cent wheat acreage.

The state government is expecting Chambal and Bundelkhand belt to cultivate more this year but reports have said the sowing is behind target and only 70 per cent sowing have been completed so far.

“The wheat acreage is likely to be in range of 32-34 lakh hectare this year,” the expert said adding, “Chana (gram) is also likely to suffer most as intense cold has been reported in entire Malwa belt. Last year also entire gram crop has been lost due to frost and fog.” But officials in agriculture department rules out any negative outlook.

“The crop condition is good and germination is also healthy,” said a senior official in the department.

The state government has projected Gram (Chana) acreage to go up to 28 lakh hectare from 24 lakh hectare of the previous year.