Sowing activity increases with onset of monsoon

With the onset of the southwest monsoon, sowing activities in the state will increase, an official said

With the onset of the southwest monsoon, sowing activities in the state will increase, an official said on Wednesday.

Farmers getting their fields ready for sowing crops on the onset of monsoon. (HT File Photo.)

State agriculture department commissioner Vikas Sitaramji Bhale said the onset of monsoon has brought cheers among the farmer community.

“So far the sowing of kharif crops has been more than 20%, which will increase in coming days with more rains in the state,” he told Hindustan Times.

Agriculture department officials said the target for kharif 2017 is 162.16 lakh hectare and sowing has been done on 31.92 lakh hectare, which is more than 19.7%.

More than 63 lakh hectare have been marked for sowing cereals, including paddy, jowar, bajra maize and millets, while 29.95 lakh hectare have been marked for sowing pulses, including moong, moth, urad, chaula, arhar among others, some of them said.

Sowing of cereals until June 27 was 10.62 lakh hectare, while pulses have been sown on 6.05 lakh hectare.

Oilseeds, including sesame, groundnut, soyabean and castor will be sown on 23.20 lakh hectares, and sowing has been done on 3.86 lakh hectare.

Jugnu Singh, (55), a farmer from Jaipur district’s Chomu, said: “Rains have started and sowing activities will speed up. With the prediction of normal rainfall, crops will be good.”