E-Paper
Monsoon covers entire Jharkhand, sowing for Kharif crops begins
With monsoon setting in, sowing for Kharif crops has started across Jharkhand amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic
With monsoon setting in, sowing for Kharif crops has started across Jharkhand amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The south-west monsoon, that hit Jharkhand on Saturday, covered the entire state on Sunday.
The state agriculture department has asked farmers and seed distributors to abide by Covid-19 protocol issued by the disaster management department. “Farmers need to follow general guidelines such as wearing masks and maintaining social distancing during sapling plantation on field,” state agriculture secretary Abu Bakr Siddiqui said.
As per officials, the timely arrival of monsoon season is expected to boost kharif harvest prospect again this year. “We have also started seed distribution among farmers on time. If everything goes as per plan, we can hope for another great year in terms of kharif harvest,” the agriculture secretary said.
Jharkhand saw a record kharif production of around 50 lakh metric tonnes last year.
This is for the second time in past one decade that monsoon has hit Jharkhand almost on time. The actual date for onset of monsoon in Jharkhand is June 10. However, it has never hit Jharkhand before June 15 between 2009 and 2019.
The rainy season entered Jharkhand on a very positive note and major parts of the state have been receiving decent rainfall for past three days. The state also received good rainfall on Sunday. “Monsoon covered the entire state on Sunday. As per our prediction, the state will be receiving good rainfall for next four to five days. Prospect of rainfall is also positive after that,” said senior scientist at Ranchi centre of India Meteorological Department (IMD), Abhishek Anand.
He said the low pressure area over northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining coastal areas of West Bengal and North Odisha with the associated cyclonic circulation is likely to move west-northwestwards across Odisha, Jharkhand and north Chattisgarh during next two to three days.
“Under its influence, widespread rainfall activity along with isolated heavy to very heavy rains are likely in Jharkhand during next five days,” he said.
Anand said, “The monsoon rainfall count begins from June 1, even as monsoon this year hit on June 12. Jharkhand has so far recorded 44% surplus rainfall. The state has received 73.44mm rainfall from June 1 to 13 against the normal rainfall of 51.1mm.”
Palamu has so far recorded the highest 154% surplus rainfall. This was followed by Ranchi with 147% surplus rains and Lohardaga by 138% surplus rain from June 1 to 13. There are seven districts that have recorded deficient rainfall among which Chatra stood at first with 43% rainfall deficient. However, deficit in other districts was within the normal bracket, officials said.
Meanwhile, agriculture department officials said taking advantage of early rain this year, direct sowing of paddy has been started in four districts--Khunti, Gumla, Simdega and East Singhbhum.
The state has set a target for sowing kharif crops on 28.27 lakh hectares of land, including 18 lakh hectares for paddy. The rest comprises 3.12 lakh hectares for maize, 6.12 lakh hectares for pulses, 60,000 hectares of oil seeds and 42,000 hectares for coarse cereals.
As per data provided by the agriculture department, the paddy sowing percentage was 0.41%, maize 3.14%, pulses 0.15% and oilseeds 1.66% till now.
Monsoon pattern in Jharkhand
Year Monsoon onset Rainfall
2021 June 12 NA
2020 June-13 901.9mm
2019 June-21 863.9mm
2018 June-25 784.4mm
2017 June-16 988.5 mm
2016 June-17 1096.9 mm
2015 June-21 941.9mm
2014 June-18 930.1mm
2013 June-18 844.5mm
2012 June-19 938.5mm
2011 June-15 1160.6mm
2010 June-17 578.4mm
2009 June-24 825.8mm
(Note: Normal average rainfall in Jharkhand—1092mm (June, July, August, September)
(Source: Ranchi Meteorological Office)
