Wheat acreage in Gujarat up by 1.74 lakh hectares

Despite the untimely rains last month delaying sowing in Gujarat, the area under wheat sowing in the state has seen an increase of 1.74 lakh hectares over the last year. Many farmers are said to have chosen wheat over jeera in the wake of erratic weather in November as jeera crop is quite sensitive to vagaries of the weather.

As per the data provided by the state agriculture department, the area under wheat cultivation so far is 9,75,200 hectares as against 8,01,400 hectares in the corresponding period last year, which shows a rise of 1.74 lakh hectares.

“Good monsoon and sufficient availability of water has helped increase the sowing of wheat in Gujarat. This will translate into a good wheat production in the state,” said B R Shah, agriculture director, department of agriculture, government of Gujarat.

 

The wheat sowing has increased in the most parts of Saurashtra region, including Junagadh, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Amreli, Bhavnagar and Surendranagar districts.

Amid growing fear among farmers that taking up jeera crop could prove risky after unseasonal rain in November, farming community decided to opt for wheat leading to an increasing in area under wheat crop. The farmers in Jamnagar and Surendranagar districts, who saw their cotton getting damaged due to untimely rains, have also turned to wheat.

“Weather is also very much favorable for the wheat crop. It will help increase the yield too,” said Dr B A Kunadiya, research analyst on wheat at the Junagadh Agriculture University.