Gujarat paddy cultivation may increase by 15%

Experts believe that the cultivation of paddy may go up as Gujarat received favourable rains in the first round.

According to state agriculture department, sowing of paddy may increase by 12 to 15 per cent. It is being done in about six lakh hectare annually.

Agriculture department estimates that in Ahmedabad district alone, the cultivation of paddy may go up from 83,812 hectare to 96,000 hectare in the current kharif season.

Parts of the state especially south and central Gujarat have already received major part of the required rain.

According to the state government, huge amount of water as been received in reservoirs in these parts. Last week, water level was reported to be at 114.18 meter at Sardar Sarovar Dam.

According to the state government's release last week, about 5113.03 million cubic meter water has been stored in 187 water tanks of the state as on July 15. Last year at this time, it was half of this level.

Navnit Patel, district agriculture officer ,Ahmedabad, said, "During the year the area under cultivation for paddy is likely to increase by over 12,000 hectare in the district. Cultivation of bajra will go down by 4702 hectare during kharif season from 24,812.

In oil seeds, only 5850 hectare land will be covered which is around half of the planned 9800 hectare. Good monsoon will increase the cultivation of wheat, custard seeds and jowar in rabi season as land would conserve water."

Patel has estimated that only four talukas in Ahmedabad; Daskroi, Sanand, Bawla and Dholka will have about 91,000 hectare land under paddy cultivation. The state government machinery is waiting for the reports from Anand and Kaira, the other major areas under paddy cultivation.

Mahesh Patel, joint director of agriculture, state government, said, "Cultivation of paddy is likely to go up substantially during this season according to our primary estimates. We are waiting for the number from the fields showcasing area under various crops, which will provide the clear picture of sowing of various agriculture commodities. However, the cultivation of paddy will increase at the cost of other crops in Kaira, Anand, Ahmedabad districts where bajra, jowar and verity of pulses are grown as major kharif crops."