40% of kharif crops may suffer due to excessive rain in Rajasthan

Rajasthan has been receiving record-breaking rainfall this year which has impacted the state’s kharif crops. Despiste abundant sowing, the rainfed crops are likely to suffer 30 to 40 per cent, say commodity traders. More than half of the produce that will reach the markets will also be spoiled. The damage may reduce by 10-20 per cent if the weather clears. 

Kookarkheda trader Ramavtar Khandelwal informed that among major kharif crops, guar is assuming a loss of 30 to 50 per cent and 40 to 50 per cent loss in Moong.

“The crop that will come to the market, like bajra, later will not be of good quality. We estimate 30 to 40 percent loss in pearl millet (bajra). If the weather does not clear, the millet will turn black and the crop will only be fit for animal fodder,” Khandelwal said.

Another trader KG Jhalani said that no damage was seen in the groundnut crop yet. He further informed that the main reason for damage is believed to be rotting, staining, and lack of beans in the crops.

“But this rain will be very beneficial in the upcoming rabi season. Due to excess rain, filling of dams, and the overflowing of rivers, the level of water in the ground has increased. The biggest problem in Rabi crops was irrigation, which will now be reduced,” Jhalani said.

Talking about sowing, on 4th September, the Agriculture Department of Rajasthan released the final list of kharif sowing. According to this, in the state, rice has been sown in 2.97 lakh hectares over 145 per cent of the target, jowar in 6.60 lakh hectares 108 per cent of the target, millet in 43.24 hectares 98 per cent of the target, green gram in 23.15 lakh hectares 92 per cent of the target, moth in 10.39 lakh hectares 106 per cent of the target, groundnut in 8.54 lakh hectares around 105 per cent, soybean in 11.23 lakh hectare 97 per cent of the target, guar in 27.20 lakh hectares or around 98 per cent of the target.

Agriculture and allied sectors contribute around 27 per cent to the state’s GDP.