The Hindu Business Line : Gujarat sets kharif sowing target at 84 lakh hectares

THE Department of Agriculture, Gujarat, has set a sowing target of 84 lakh hectares (lh) for the current kharif season 2005 as against the normal area of 81 lh. Kharif sowing in the State has been completed in 62.26 lakh hectares (lh) as on July 25, which is 74 per cent of the total target area of 84 lh. The figure includes 17.50 lh in groundnut, 16.74 lh in cotton and 6.59 lh in pulses. Major kharif crops are groundnut, cotton, sesame and pulses.

"Total kharif area is lowered by 2 lh to 62.26 lh from 64.29 lh in the same period last season," an official of the department said.

Total oilseeds area under current kharif season has so far reached 22.15 lh as on July 25, down from 26 lh last season. Pulses area is at 4.22 lh, down from 6.59 lh.

Kharif sowing started around the first week of July in most parts of South Gujarat, Saurashtra-Kutch regions and North Gujarat. Earlier, the State had received heavy rains in almost all major oilseeds and cotton producing areas last week of June.

As a result, pre-monsoon sowing was affected. After a gap of about 20 days, replanting was done in many parts, sources said.

"Groundnut area under current kharif season has so far reached 17 lh (as on last week) all over the State from the last season's 18.80 lh," Mr Govindbhai G. Patel, a leading oilseeds trader of Saurashtra, told Business Line.

Kharif groundnut crop in the State was around 15 lakh tonnes last season. "Second round of rains in the Saurashtra region has just started three days ago. Progress of crop is satisfactory," he said.

About 83 per cent of the season's total rainfalls have so far been recorded in the State.

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