Bountiful, timely and widespread rains across Gujarat have cheered up farmers, who are likely to complete sowing on over 90 lakh hectares (ha) in the Kharif- 2017 season.

This year so far, farmers have completed sowing on an additional 10.55 lakh ha. Compared with the sowing completed by June 2016 on 15.16 lakh ha, farmers have already reported sowing over 25.72 lakh ha so far, Agriculture Minister Chiman Saparia said.

The total cultivated area under Kharif crops last year in Gujarat was 89.79 lakh ha. Thus, the State’s farmers have already completed nearly 30 per cent of sowing this season.

Cotton continued to be the most preferred cash crop, with sowing completed on 12.64 lakh ha, followed by groundnut (7.44 lakh ha), maize (1.52 lakh ha), tuar (73,400 ha), moong (7,000 ha) and bajra (22,000 ha).

Sowing on over 90 lakh ha is expected to be completed in the next fortnight

Meanwhile, due to heavy and incessant rains across Gujarat over the last few days, as many as 31 people died due to rain-related reasons in the State, according to reports reaching here.

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