With the monsoon playing truant, deficit rains in most districts in Maharashtra has got the farmer worried with sowing operations getting delayed.
If the monsoon fails to revive within a few days, the first phase of Kharif crop cultivation could pose problems, sources in the State Agriculture Directorate said.
Though the arrival of the monsoon in the state was timely, it appeared to have lost its momentum after a couple of days which has caused a prolonged lull affecting the agricultural operations.
Normally, the average rainfall in the state in the month of June comes to 222.8 mm. This year the figure at the month-end has touched 150 mm showing a considerable deficit adversely affecting the sowing activities.
The regions that had fared better in receiving rains in the first phase of the monsoon include Konkan and some parts of Vidarbha.
While this helped the paddy sowings, farmers depending on Kharif crops in Western and North Maharashtra have still their gaze fixed skywards in anticipation.