The Hindu Business Line : Slackness continues in kharif rice, oilseed coverage

Though overall crop coverage during kharif is up, sowing in rice and oilseeds has been hit on lower rainfall. The country as a whole has received 21 per cent deficient rainfall during the current monsoon. Central India, where oilseeds such as soyabean are the main crop, has, in particular, borne the brunt of poor monsoon progress with rainfall shortage being 33 per cent until June 28.

According to the Agriculture Ministry, the north-eastern parts, too, have experienced a 22 per cent lower rainfall.

Water storage level

Despite the rainfall shortage, sowing has, to an extent, been helped by better water storage position. Of the 76 major reservoirs in the country, the storage level in 57 is over 80 per cent, while it is between 50 and 80 per cent in seven reservoirs. This year's storage level is 77 per cent more than the level during the same period year ago.

With sowing being slack in Haryana and Punjab, the area under rice is down by 30,000 hectares. The coverage in these two States is showing a dip of 4.2 lakh hectares (lh) and gains have come from Chhattisgarh and Orissa (2.4 lh).

Coarse cereals sowing

Sowing in coarse cereals, on the other hand, is showing a rise of 9.94 lh. Thanks to good coverage in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, area under jowar has increased to 4.06 lh from 3.38 lh during the corresponding period a year ago. Maize sowing is up five lh, with gains from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal. Bajra coverage is also up at 6.63 lh (2.71 lh last year).

Almost all sugarcane growing States are witnessing an increase in the crop coverage. The area under the crop has increased by 1.75 lh with Tamil Nadu alone accounting for 1.2 lh rise.

In cotton, sowing lags in Haryana (down 60,000 hectares), while overall coverage is up 1.59 lh with Punjab and Rajasthan coverage rising 1.8 lh.

Oilseeds coverage is down mainly on sowing slipping in groundnut (3.7 lh vs 4.42 lh) and soyabean (1.49 lh vs 1.94 lh). Area under the crop in Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra is lagging behind. Coverage of sunflower is up, thanks to efforts in Karnataka (up 1.1 lh).

The current high price for pulses perhaps has led to a rise in its coverage. Its sowing is up at 7.45 lh against 4.16 lh with farmers in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Orissa showing more interest in it.

More Stories on : Pulses | Cultivation | Oilseeds & Edible Oil

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