E-Paper
Sowing of kharif crop in Maharashtra currently at 16.2%, lower than 2020
PUNE The sowing of the kharif crop in Maharashtra is currently at 16
PUNE The sowing of the kharif crop in Maharashtra is currently at 16.2%, lower than the figures of June 28, 2020, which was at 41.98%.
In Maharashtra, the total area for sowing kharif seeds is 14.118 million hectares. As of date, sowing has been completed across 2.275 million hectares. The State agriculture department claims that Maharashtra has received, in the first 21 days of June, 145.3mm rainfall. This is lower than the rainfall received over the same duration last year (175.70 mm).
“In the first two weeks of June, most places in Maharashtra received rains with thundershowers and it does not help sowing activity. To collect moisture, soil needs continuous moderate rain for a longer duration, which has not happened until now,” said an official from the state agriculture department, requesting anonymity.
With western Maharashtra receiving a few good spells of rain last week, sowing activity is expected to improve in the coming days.
“Pune district has received 131.7mm rainfall till now and for sowing, soil becomes favourable after receiving 100 mm rainfall. Farming activities will increase as we go into the second week of July,” the official added.
So far in Pune, of 0.867 million hectares available for sowing of the Kharif crop, 0.141 million hectares have been sowed.
“Nandurbar, Dhule, Akola and Nashik have still not started as those districts have received very less rainfall,” the official added.
