In Gujarat, where rain deficit is increasing with every passing week, farmers are a worried lot for not just the crop but a bigger worry has emerged is about fodder availability. Considering the gravity of the situation, farmers have decided to prioritise sowing fodder over other cash crops.
The State Government has asked farmers to opt for fodder sowing in the available arable land than taking any other cash crop.
“In the whole of Gujarat, farmers are being told to take up fodder cultivation over other crops. With such measures we believe fodder availability will improve and there will be no instances of cattle migration,” said a senior official of State Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Department.
“It would be a blind bet for the cash crops because rains are uncertain and the crop may fail. In this situation at least we have to save our cattle by making adequate fodder available,” said Maganbhai Patel, State President, Bhartiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), a farmers’ body.
BKS is encouraging farmers to take up fodder as well as coarse cereals such as bajra (millet), jowar and maize, which will serve dual purpose of foodgrain as well as fodder.
A large number of farmers in Saurashtra, central Gujarat and north Gujarat have decided to take up fodder sowing.
According to State Agriculture Department data, fodder has been planted on 1.37 lakh hectares against the normal three years average of 9.37 lakh hectares, an 85 per cent drop.
Inadequate rains have also dampened the prospects for other crops mainly cotton and groundnut. As on July 15, cotton planting has been completed on 10.19 lakh hectares against the normal 27.17 lakh hectares, while groundnut sowing is 5.41 lakh hectares against the normal 14.39 lakh hectares in the State. Total area under cultivation is 11.25 lakh hectares against the normal 26 lakh hectares.
“Green fodder is not available. A delayed monsoon may brighten prospects for cash crops, but our cattle may not survive long without sufficient fodder and water,” said Hasmukh Patel, a farmer in Dhandhuka taluka of Ahmedabad district.
Rain deficit is felt severe in central Gujarat region with over 90 per cent departure from normal rainfall, while in Saurashtra and Kutch region the departure is around 82 per cent. The coastal region of the Saurashtra region had witnessed intermittent sporadic rains in past few days.
“The current rainfall is insufficient for sowing of cash crops because more moisture is required for the soil. But with such rains, fodder is an option for farmers to help their cattle survive,” said Maganbhai Patel.