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Truant monsoon may take heavy toll on grain output

Delayed rains have already reduced sowing of kharif crops by half and the prolonged dry spell is likely to spill over to the rabi crops too, causing an overall loss in foodgrains production, according to the agriculture ministry.

The ministry fears a heavy loss of foodgrain production by around 20 million tonnes because of delayed monsoon in the north-western region and less than normal rainfall in other parts of the country.

If the distribution of the monsoon rainfall would have been normal, the country was expected to produce 220 million tonnes of foodgrains including pulses. The share of kharif and rabi production almost remains equal.

According to official sources, north-western states received 97mm of rainfall against the normal of 120mm from June 1-July 10, which is the peak season for sowing cereal crops, pulses and paddy.

Total oilseeds cultivation is at 4.47 million hectares so far against a normal area of 15.7 million hectares.

The groundnut cultivation has so far covered only 2.01 million hectares against the normal area of 5.82 million hectares, soyabean covered only 1.75 million hectares against a normal area of 6.38 million hectares. It is much less than compared to last year at 5.1 million hectares during the corresponding period.

Sunflower and castor sowing is so far at 170,000 and 110,000 hectares against the normal area of 580,000 and 850,000 hectares respectively.

Delayed rains took a heavy toll on pulses and paddy with pulses sowing area dwindling to only 1.79 million hectares against 10.28 million hectares and paddy to 7.08 million hectares against 40.6 million hectares, officials said.

The delayed sowing of the kharif crops will result in delayed cultivation of the rabi crops and will also adversely affect retention of moisture in drylands for grams and other rabi crops, thereby affecting the total foodgrain production in two seasons, officials said.

The rainfall on all India basis is either scant or less than normal with abnormal dispersal. The peninsular states have so far received 214mm of rainfall against 253mm rainfall.

UNI

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