Govt chalks out plan for rabi sowing; aims 94 MT wheat output

Aiming to make up for shortfall in some summer crops, the Centre today asked state governments to focus during the rabi season on 3.37 million hectare that was left unsown due to delayed monsoon.
Much of the concentration will be on improving production of pulses and oilseeds during the rabi sowing (winter) season beginning next month, as the acreage under these two crops have been affected in the kharif season due to delayed rains.
Addressing a conference called to discuss the government preparedness for sowing of rabi crops, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said: "We have motivated states to achieve the rabi sowing target tackling all challenges."

The states have been asked to first cover the area which has been left unused during the kharif season taking advantage of good moisture in soil, he said.
However, there would be concern for sowing of rabi crops like wheat and pulses in those areas, where there were no rains, he said, adding that the strategy is in place to face any kind of eventuality during the rabi season.
The government has set a rabi production target of 94 million tonnes (MT) for wheat this year. The target for rice has been kept at 14 MT, pulses at 12.5 MT and oilseeds at 11 MT, said Agriculture Commissioner J S Sandhu.

Last year, India had set a wheat output target of 92.5 MT but harvested a record 95.91 MT.

Among key strategies for rabi crops, Sandhu said: "We can cover the loss in kharif output during rabi season by specially focusing on 3.37 million hectare fallow kharif areas left unsown due to delayed monsoon."
He also asked the states to concentrate on region specific crop planning, pre-position crop inputs like seeds in advance and promote moisture conservation, timely sowing and micro-irrigation.
Allaying fears of huge drop in area sown to kharif crops, the minister said: "Acreage is down only by 3 per cent so far despite 11 per cent deficit rains. The situation is much better than the drought year of 2009.

"We agree that rainfall was not sufficient this year but the contingency plan for 500 districts and diesel/seed subsidy and financial support for horticultural crop growers among others has helped to reduce the impact of low rains."
Agriculture is the lifeline of Indian economy and the government is committed to achieving 4 per cent growth, Singh said, adding that soil health cards and new crop insurance are some measures being taken to improve the sector.
On prices, he said onion and potato rates are under control at Rs 30-35 per kg, unlike at the level of Rs 80 per kg that prevailed during the previous regime around this time of last year.