Monsoon spurs sowing across state

Surat: Sowing, especially for cotton and groundnut, has picked up in most parts of the state with the timely arrival of monsoon rain.
According to data released by the state agriculture department for Kharif season, sowing has been done in 13.94 lakh hectare land across Gujarat till June 15, which accounts for 16.42% of the total cultivable land the state. During corresponding date last year sowing was done in just 2.07 lakh hectare.
State has 15.4 lakh hectare under groundnut cultivations while cotton was sown in 26.73 lakh hectare. According to agriculture department, sowing of bajra, jowar, maize, moong, moth, groundnut, sesame, soyabean, cotton, vegetable and fodder has also picked up.
Girdhar Vaghela, a farmer from Verad village in Bhanvad taluka of Jamnagar, has completed sowing of groundnut on his 20 bigha land. “This year because of early good rain we started sowing 15 days early. However, we fear that like last season if rains take a longer break, more then four weeks, then it will damage our crop.”
Meanwhile, light to moderate rainfall continued in parts of South Gujarat region. In last 36 hours ending Wednesday evening, Kamrej and Olpad recorded 50 mm rain followed by Umarpada (25mm) and Mangrol (25mm). Netrang in Bharuch received 55 mm rainfall .
Of state’s 206 dams, Sardar Sarovar dam has filled up to 67% capacity and the rest are filled up to 50%. TNN