Delayed monsoon slows down kharif sowing by 12.57% as compared to last year

The average area for the kharif crop in the state is 140.68 lakh hectares, of which till July 10, 84.24 lakh hectares has been sown

Data released by the state of agriculture department shows that as on July 10, sowing in the area covered by Kharif crops was 12.57 per cent lower than last year.

Data released by the state of agriculture department shows that as on July 10, sowing in the area covered by Kharif crops was 12.57 per cent lower than last year.(Pratham Gokhale/HT Photo)

The sowing shortfall is the most for pulses and oil seeds, at 26.27 and 23.76 per cent lower, respectively, as compared to kharif sowing during the same period last year. Sowing percentage for Kharif cereals has also reduced by 15.50 per cent. Sowing for water intensive cash crops like sugarcane also decreased by 52.26 per cent.

Lowered sowing percentage was the most severe in Latur (shortfall of 46% as compared to last year), Nagpur (15.18%), Amravati (2.91%), Nashik (2.02 %), and Kolhapur (37.36%).

Vijay Ghawate, joint director of Agriculture, Maharashtra, attributed the low kharif sowing percentages to the late onset of monsoon.

“Delayed monsoon and a long dry spell after onset of monsoon is responsible for slow pace of kharif sowing, but sowing is still going on and we hope that the state will not witness any more dry spells during the remaining monsoon period, so that sowing can take place in full swing,” Ghawate said.

The average area for the kharif crop in the state is 140.68 lakh hectares, of which till July 10, 84.24 lakh hectares has been sown.