Sown area in Gujarat increases 15%

Good monsoon encourages farmers to sow more wheat, oilseeds.

As compared to last year, the total sowing area in Gujarat has increased by about 15 per cent. The area under wheat, chana, rapeseed, oilseeds, onion, garlic and potato has increased.

A good monsoon and more availability of water seem to have encouraged farmers to sow more. According to the state agriculture department, the area covered till December 27 was 2.76 million hectares, as against 2.4 m ha last year at the same time.

The department said sowing of wheat has reached 1.12 m ha, higher by 257,000 ha compared to last year’s 868,000 ha. Wheat sowing has increased in Junagadh, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Amreli, Bhavnagar and Surendranagar districts of the Saurashtra region.

 

“Good monsoon and good availability of water for the crop increased the sowing of wheat. Favorable weather will translate into good production,” said B R Shah, director, agriculture.

Sowing of chana has increased to 192,000 ha from 151,000 ha, higher by 41,600 ha. Sowing of rapeseed has reached 214,000 ha, compared to last year’s 200,000 ha.

On the other hands sowing of jeera has come down, as farmers diverted to crops like wheat and pulses. Compared to last year’s 239,000 ha, the area under jeera as come down by 10,200 ha. Sowing of onion and garlic has increased. Onion sowing has increased from 35,500 ha to 49,700 ha. Garlic sowing has reached 25,800 ha, an increase from last year’s 16,100 ha.