Maharashtra kharif sowing falls 66% amid monsoon delay

Kharif sowing in Maharashtra has started slowly this season due to delayed monsoon progress and inadequate pre-monsoon rainfall, with the total area covered falling 66% from a year ago.

   According to the state agriculture department, kharif crops had been sown on 1.44 lakh hectares as of Monday, compared with 4.24 lakh hectares during the same period last year.  This accounts for only about 1% of the state's normal kharif sowing area of 1.58 crore hectares. The southwest monsoon, which reached Kerala on June 4, stalled over western India after covering Goa on June 8. Only southern parts of Maharashtra have seen monsoon advancement so far. 

 The state received just 21.6 mm rainfall during June 1-16, nearly 75% below normal, according to the India Meteorological Department. Major crops reported a sharp decline in acreage. Paddy sowing fell to 4,804 hectares from 19,007 hectares a year ago, while maize acreage dropped to 10,216 hectares from 33,095 hectares. Bajra sowing plunged to 588 hectares from 26,455 hectares.  Pulse sowing was also significantly lower. Total acreage under pulses declined to 3,526 hectares from 99,082 hectares a year ago, led by steep falls in tur, moong and urad cultivation.

 Oilseed acreage dropped to 8,362 hectares from 1.06 lakh hectares, with soybean sowing declining sharply. 

—Informist