Indian monsoon break may not affect paddy, temperature holds key for pulses

Amid prediction of a two-week “break monsoon” phase over most parts of the country, paddy crop — the key cereal of the kharif season — may not be impacted as the main growing belt in eastern parts is expected to receive rains. Other important rice-growing States of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Punjab, and Haryana are mostly irrigated. However, the fate of pulses crop hinges on the temperature as previous excess rainfall could turn out to be a saviour.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said normal to above normal rainfall is very likely over most parts of the sub-divisions which are close to the Himalayas, east central India, and Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal in August. But, below normal rainfall is likely over most parts of south Peninsula, central India, and in western parts (Rajasthan and Punjab) of north-west subdivision.

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Transplanting gains

“The major paddy areas in east India are expected to receive rains, which may help many States to recover the earlier rainfall deficit. But, those areas where rainfall is expected to be below normal either not surplus in paddy or have 100 per cent irrigation,” said a senior scientist of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The paddy crop will be safe, he said, adding there are several climate-resilient varieties in circulation that may be helpful in the current weather aberration.

The paddy transplanting was higher by 2 per cent at 237.58 lakh hectares (lh) as of July 28 against 233.25 lh year-ago. Already about 60 per cent of the kharif season’s normal area has been covered. Sowing of paddy in Assam, Jharkhand, Odisha, Punjab, and Andhra Pradesh was lower, while other major growing States reported higher coverage.

On the other hand, lower acreage has been reported from Karnataka (by 6.74 lh), Maharashtra (3.23 lh), Madhya Pradesh (2.23 lh), Odisha (0.94 lh), Telangana (0.37 h), Jharkhand (0.36 lh), Haryana (0.33 lh), Andhra Pradesh (0.27 lh), Chhattisgarh (0.25 lh), Gujarat (0.08 lh). Total acreage under all pulses declined 11.3 per cent at 96.84 lh from 109.15 lh.

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Lurking danger

Arhar (tur/pigeon pea) area has witnessed maximum dip among all pulses by 16 per cent at 31.51 lh as there was over 30 per cent drop in Karnataka due to deficient rainfall up to mid-July. Moong has recorded 7.2 per cent fall at 27.64 lh while urad has dipped by 14.1 per cent to 25.83 lh.

Rajasthan, the largest producer of moong, has so far received 71 per cent higher rainfall and sowing this year started earlier than normal due to which the moong acreage was higher by 2 lh from year-ago. Madhya Pradesh, the largest producer of urad, has got 2 per cent above average rains, so far. Maharashtra, the biggest tur producing State, has received 12 per cent surplus rain, so far.

• Also read: Indian monsoon break may not affect paddy, temperature holds key for pulses

“The pulses crop will withstand the break in monsoon, provided there is no abnormal increase in temperature and weather remains humid. There were two dry spells in Bundelkhand (a key pulses growing region in UP and MP) earlier, but there was rain for two-three days in between that saved the crops,” said NP Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Banda University of Agriculture and Technology in UP.

Singh, who was a former director of Kanpur-based Indian Institute of Pulses Research, said that for the past three days it has been raining in many parts of Bundelkhand in UP. But, there are reports of dry spell in the region that falls within MP.

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