With much of the sowing of rabi crops usually taking place in the month of November, the current trends hint at subdued activity this year, say traders in Gujarat. Till November 12, available data on rabi crops shows sowing at hardly 52.2 per cent compared to last year.
So far, as against a total of 850,000 hectares of total rabi sowing last year, the same has been at 450,100 hectares till November 12, as per the data available. Given that a large proportion of rabi sowing taking place in November, agricultural traders in Gujarat estimate that the same may halt at roughly 50 per cent, thereby impacting production and arrivals as well.
"Water resources have almost depleted. Also, a large proportion of sowing happens in November. Considering the ongoing trends, it seems that sowing may halt at 50 per cent. If that happens, then production will also be restricted to 60 per cent of that of last year," said Atul Kamani, President of Commission Agents' Association at Rajkot Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC).
The subdued sowing has been on account of weak monsoon along with depleting water resources in the state, with wells and reservoirs drying up in Gujarat.
Govt announces special package of Rs 13 billion
In fact, the dismal rabi sowing has also prompted the Gujarat government to announce a special package of Rs 13 billion, taking its total relief spending on farmers to over Rs 65 billion for districts that saw deficient rainfall this monsoon. Under the package, around 2 million farmers across 45 talukas will receive a lump sum amount of Rs 5300 to Rs 6300 for every hectare of farmland they own.
Further, whatever water was available went into salvaging kharif crops earlier this year. "With farmers looking to salvage kharif crops like groundnut and others, there was hardly any water left for rabi crops. Also, as against initial downpours, the latter part of monsoon was dismal and deficient, thereby impacting rabi sowing season. Only crops like jeera and chana that require less water may see higher sowing," said A V Barad, Dean - Agriculture, Junagadh Agricultural University (JAU).
This year, Gujarat saw shortage of water supply for irrigation in the Narmada canal network that covers a roughly one-third area of the state's irrigated land. In fact, the government had released over 20,000 cusecs of Narmada water to save the standing kharif crops amidst a deficient monsoon earlier.
Delayed and subdued sowing during current rabi season in Gujarat has also been due to hot weather prolonging after monsoon resulting in delayed onset of winter. "Rabi crops require cold weather during sowing. However, till recently the weather continued to be hot, thereby delaying sowing," Barad said.
Among the rabi crops, wheat has seen the lowest amount of sowing at merely 21 per cent or 23,100 hectares till November 12 as compared to last year. As a result, the crop is set to witness a price hike on arrivals say traders. "Wheat prices may rise by one and a half times, if the current sowing trends continue this year. With this, we anticipate wheat prices to rise from Rs 400 per 20 kg to Rs 600 per 20 kg this year," Kamani added.
Among other types of rabi crops, cereals were sown over an area of 57,100 hectares or 35 per cent of last year's 162,100 hectares while pulses were sown over 55,600 or 48.9 per cent as compared to 113,700 hectares last year. Oilseeds, on the other hand, have been sown so far across 106,200 hectares or 55.08 per cent of last year's 192,800 hectares.
Nafed softens stand: to join the procurement
On the other hand, earlier, the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) had refused to procure groundnut and other pulses from the state which could have further impacted farmers. However, on Monday, the state government, in a press conference, said that it will conduct joint groundnut procurement along with Nafed, asserting that there were no differences between the central procurement agency and Gujarat government.
The statement comes in the light of the agency earlier citing bad quality of warehouses, fire incidents and adulteration in the groundnut as reasons for its refusal to procure, in the wake of Rs 40 billion groundnut scam that has surfaced in Gujarat. Apparently, groundnut stocks worth Rs 310 million procured by NAFED were destroyed in fires at godowns at Gondal and Shapar in Rajkot district this year. A stock stored in a private godown at Pedhla was found adulterated with sand and stones. The state government had even set up set up an inquiry commission in August under a retired high court judge to probe fires at warehouses storing groundnuts procured by NAFED.
"Nafed has agreed to undertake procurement in coordination with State. The State’s finance department has already provided a revolving fund for the immediate requirement. We will ensure that farmers get their payment within a week's time,” J N Singh, chief secretary, Government of Gujarat told media persons on Monday.