Trade with Commodities: Delayed rains may ruin major crops

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Delayed rains may ruin major crops

The First Kharif Sowing In Over 200 Talukas May Go Waste Due To Lack Of Showers

AN ELUSIVE monsoon portends another bad season for major crops across the state's western parts, as well as Vidarbha and Marathwada regions. The first kharif sowing in over 200 talukas spread over these regions faces the danger of damage due to lack of rains.
    Maharashtra had a disastrous farm season in 2008-09 and all major crops, including foodgrains, reported 25-50% drop in yield over the 2007-08 season. The state government has attributed drop in yields to erratic monsoon.
    Data put out by the Pune-based agriculture commissionerate says that sowing operations have been completed only in 1% of the total cultivable area for the kharif crops in Maharashtra by June 23. The state has more than 28 lakh hectares cultivable area spread over 300 talukas. Of this, only 1.55 lakh hectare area has been sown.
    According to the agriculture commissionerate, more than 200 of these talukas have received only 10% of their average rainfall in June so far and the sowing operations are negligible. Around 53 talukas have received between 20% and 40% of their average June rainfall and 22 tehsils have reported 40-60% showers. Only five talukas have reported 60-80% of their average rainfall so far. Delayed arrival of monsoon has put the kharif season in 96 talukas of Vidarbha in jeopardy followed by 34 in Marathwada, 27 in Konkan, 28 in Nashik and 15 in Pune.
    In Vidarbha and Marathwada, the major kharif crops of cotton, soyabean and paddy have been hit by dry spell, which can also affect the prospects of second phase of sowing. Horticulture and vegetable farming in Nashik and other parts of north Maharashtra could also take a severe hit. In western Maharashtra, the dry patch threatens a successive second bad season for the sugarcane industry.
    "Though the state reported a low farm output last season, the rainfall situation was better in 2008 as compared to 2009. By June 23, 2008, the state had received 59% of its 130 mm average rainfall for the month. This year, the state has received only 18% rainfall (41 mm) till the corresponding date," said an official with the agriculture commissionerate.
    Agriculture officials said farmers might also have to think of alternative crops if the monsoon gets delayed further. "In this scenario, the investment that farmers may have made in the first phase of sowing will go waste and it will also have an impact on the state's aggregate yields this season," said the official.
Declare drought in
state: Munde
MUMBAI: Senior BJP leader and MP Gopinath Munde wants the government to declare drought in the state and allocate a special Rs 2,000-crore package for relief measures. "Despite 4,500 villages being supplied water by tankers and municipal bodies announcing 20% water cut in most cities, the state government does not seem to be serious about this crisis. This drought threatens to be as serious as the 1972 drought," Mr Munde said.