The Hindu Business Line : Rabi harvest in full swing

HARVEST of almost all pulses is in progress, while that of wheat is over in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka. Harvest of gram and mustard, except longer duration ones, safflower and linseed is over, while that jowar, maize and bajra is on, according to the Agriculture Ministry.

According to a press release from the Ministry, 75-85 per cent wheat harvest is over in Madhya Pradesh, while in the case of Bihar, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh 10-15 per cent of the harvest has been completed.

The rise in temperature since March second week could have an adverse impact, especially in areas where wheat was sown late. Details of the impact are yet to be made available.

The release said rabi rice sowing had been completed and it was higher by one lakh hectares at 43 lakh hectares as compared to last year.

The area under coarse cereals, pulses and oilseeds was higher than last year. Harvest of coarse cereals had been completed in Rajasthan, except the command area where only 75 per cent of barley had been harvested.

The ministry also said water availability in 71 major reservoirs was 28.72 billion cubic metres (BCM). The storage was more than last year's position by 3.38 BCM but less than the average of last 10 years storage by 8.06 BCM. The storage was 113 per cent of last year's and 78 per cent of last ten years' average storage.