Stuttering monsoon deprives 12 States of raindrops

Despite flood-like situation in several parts of the country due to heavy rains, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) data shows that so far 12 of the 36 meteorological subdivisions have seen deficit rain till July 7. This has led to lower sowing of crops such as rice, pulses, oilseeds and cotton during kharif crop season. 

According to the Agriculture Ministry, 33.4 million hectares have been planted under different crops — 14.2 per cent lower than the 38.9 million hectares planted till July 6 last year.

The IMD data shows that 12 States including Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, Manipur and Assam have received deficient rainfall by 18 per cent or more compared to normal. 

Only eight States namely Puducherry, Punjab, Mizoram, Haryana, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have received more than the normal rainfall till July 7. 

As per IMD data, out of 681 districts, 256 have received deficient to large deficient rainfall while 182 districts have received large excess of rainfall till July 7. As many as 210 districts have received normal rainfall in the country. The data shows there is deficient rainfall by 42 per cent in Uttar Pradesh; 30 per cent in Odisha; 20 per cent in Bihar; 31 per cent in Jharkhand and 20 per cent in Chhattisgarh.  West Bengal has received normal rainfall after arrival of southwest monsoon while it had received less rain during pre monsoon period.

The data shows that 56 districts of Uttar Pradesh including Allahabad, Amethi, Azamgarh, Ballia, Barabanki, Faizabad and Fetahpur; 23 districts of Bihar which include Bhojpur, Aurangabad, Muzzafarpur, Khagaria, Nalanda, Lakhi Sarai, Patna and Siwan; 19 of Jharkhand which include Bokaro, Gumla, Chatra, Khunti, Dhanbad, Koderma and Giridih and 21  of Odisha that include Balangir, Angul, Jajapur, Kalahandi and Kandhamal have received less rain till date.

Similarly, 27  districts of Madhya Pradesh  that include Guna, Gwalior, Shivpuri, Ujjain and Alirajpur; 28 of Gujarat, including Ahmedabad, Banaskantha, Bharuch, Chota Udepur, Narmada and Patan, are under deficient rainfall category. 

Chhattisgarh’s 13 districts, Meghalaya’s 10 and West Bengal’s 11 districts are among those which have received less rainfall till date.

On the other hand, the Agriculture Ministry data shows sowing of paddy is 12 per cent less this year. Only 67.25 lakh hectares have been planted so far till first week of July this year as compared to 79.08 lakh  hectares last year. This is because the monsoon was delayed in West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. 

According to the Agriculture Ministry, planting is lower in States such as Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha. Normally, during the kharif season about 39.5 million hectares are planted under paddy.

Pulses have been planted in around 10 per cent less area compared to last year. Farmers have sown a smaller area under arhar or pigeon peas, because of deficit rain in Odisha, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh.

Among different crops, planting is the lowest for cotton with 17.22 lakh hectares sown this year so far as compared to 71.82 lakh hectares last year - a decrease of 24 per cent year-on-year. This is largely because of deficient rain in Gujarat, where the planting is lower by 1.2 million hectares.  Less rain in Gujarat has also affected the planting of oilseeds such as groundnut.

So far, 0.94 million hectares have been planted with groundnut in different States compared to 1.67 million hectares last year - a decrease of 43 per cent year-on- year. Overall, planting of oilseeds is 13.4 per cent less than last year.

Officials said with the southwest monsoon becoming active again, sowing is bound to pick up.

Planting of crops normally begins with the onset of monsoon in June and harvests begin in October. Earlier this week, the Central Government sharply raised the minimum support price (MSP) for kharif crops of which paddy, cotton, jawar, bajra were among the top gainers.