The tardy progress in the spread of southwest monsoon and prevailing heat wave conditions in many parts of the country have delayed planting in the current kharif season, with the area sown remaining nearly 8 per cent lower than in the previous year.

The delayed onset of monsoon, which arrived at the Kerala coast on June 8, and the subsequent tardy progress has resulted in a whopping 42 per cent rainfall deficit across the country till June 14. Only two of the 36 Met sub-divisions -- Jammu & Kashmir and Andamans-- have received large excess rains during this period, while four Met sub-divisions had normal rainfall, according to the IMD. Fifteen Met sub-divisions had deficient rains, while the remaining 15 had large deficient rains.

According to the kharif sowing data released by the Agriculture Ministry on Friday, the area sown so far was 82.20 lakh hectares (lh ) compared 90.34 lh during the corresponding week in 2018-19.

Much of the planting covered by sugarcane and cotton, which were sown over 49.21 lh and 15.32 lh respectively as against 50.44 lh and 16.92 lh in the same period last year. The rice plantingwas 22 per cent lower than that in last year, with area covered so far being 4.26 lh. The cultivation of coarse cereals stood at 5.28 lh, 26 per cent lower than 7.13 lh covered in the corresponding week last year.

Planting of maize has taken place in 3.01 lh against 4.51 lh in corresponding period last year. The sowing of both pulses and oilseeds too just crossed 1 lh area and lagged much behind that area covered during the same period in 2018-19.

Meanwhile, water storage in major reservoirs in the country during the week plummeted by 1 per cent to 29.19 billion cubic metres, or 18 per cent of the total storage capacity.

The worst affected seems to be the western region where the water storage was 10 per cent as compared to 13 per cent during the corresponding week last year.

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