Kharif crop production declines in Rajasthan

Crop production during the kharif season this year is estimated to decline by 14 lakh tonnes in cereals and 1.2 lakh tonnes in pulses in Rajasthan due to late and erratic rainfall in western region.
The first estimate of kharif crops output of 2014 has showed 48 lakh tonnes of cereals production including rice, jowar, bajra, maize, and millets, as against 62 lakh tonnes in 2013, according to the data by Agriculture department.
Similarly pulses production in kharif season of 2014 was about 6.5 lakh tonnes in 2014 as against 7.7 lakh tonnes last year, the data showed.
Kharif crop sowing targets were achieved before and during rainy season, but due to delayed and erratic monsoon in western regions of Rajasthan affected the crop output specially of cereals and millets, an official told PTI.

The crops in western division of Bikaner and Jodhpur overing Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Churu, Pali have showed poor crop production due to erratic and deficit rainfall this year from June to September, the official said.
In the ongoing rabi crop season 2014-15, the state Agriculture Department has put a total production target of crops including wheat, barley, gram crops at 105 lakh tonnes with a sowing target in 94 lakh hectares, the official said.

Since Mustard is another major crop of Rajasthan, the agri department has put production target at 40.6 lakh tonnes in rabi season.
In the last rabi crop season (2013-14), Rajasthan received a total crop production of 174 lakh tonnes which included 109.91 lakh tonnes of wheat, and 36 lakh tones of mustard.

Rajasthan has produced an average of 92 lakh tonnes of rabi crops in the last five years, and this year (2014-15) it would be on higher note, the official said.