Gujarat is set to witness bumper rape-mustard seed crop in 2013-14, revealed a survey conducted by the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA). According to the trade body, mustard seed out put in the state to jump by 53 per cent on year-on-year basis with sharp increase in the yield.
A preliminary survey conducted during the last week of February by team of experts of SEA showed that rape-mustard output in the state will be around 4,74,000 tonnes this year against 3,10,000 tonnes last year during same period.
Notably, the yield is expected to be highest in Gujarat at about 1,680 kg per hectare against the national average of 1065 kg per hectare.
“This is an exceptionally good year for mustard crop in Gujarat. For past several years, there has not been so good crop in the state. The state is set to witness one of the bumper rapeseed crop in at least past eight years,” B.V Mehta, executive director, SEA told
The area under the crop has increased by 31 per cent in Gujarat from 2,14,000 hectares last year to 2,82,000 hectares this season.
The growth in production is attributed to good subsoil moisture at the time of sowing, useful showers during January and February. Also, minimum damage due to severe cold and continuous favourable weather has helped to increase the production.
The survey also showed that rape-mustard crop in India would be higher by around 11 per cent to 7.59 million tonnes from 6.85 million tonnes last year, mainly on favourable weather conditions. The overall area under the crop has also increased by about 6 per cent to 7.13 million hectares from 6.72 million hectares in the same season last year.
With carryover stock of around 2,00,000 tonnes by March 1, price trend is likely to remain uncertain considering the recent climatic fluctuations in growing regions.
“We do not see much impact of hailstorm but, the crop is standing and it is early to comment on the impact of the climatic adversaries on the output and prices,” said Biren Vakil, commodity expert from Ahmedabad.
Mustard seed prices strengthened on Friday and traded at around ₹3,661.5 a quintal in spot market in Jaipur. On the NCDEX, Mustard seed for April contract jumped by 1.5 per cent to ₹3,514 a quintal.
Notably, the survey showed increase in sowing area in most regions including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, while the sowing was lower in regions like Haryana/Punjab, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal.