Delay in monsoon hits kharif sowing

The delayed monsoon is affecting the sowing of kharif crops with an under cultivation of these crops down by nearly 11 per cent so far.

According to state agricultural department officials, so far sowing has been done only in 9.40 lakh hectares area which is only 10.79 per cent of an average of 87.97 lakh hectares area cultivated during kharif season every year. Last year, sowing had been done in about 12 lakh hectares area by July 2.

Joint director (agriculture statistics) D Z Patel said so far cotton has been sown over 5.37 lakh hectares which is hardly 20 per cent of the total cotton area in the state.

Other kharif crops in the state include paddy, jowar, bajra, maize, tuvar, moong, groundnut, til, castor, soyabean, guvar and vegetables etc.

He said sowing could be completed in a week's time if the monsoon arrived. However, he said there was no shortage of fodder in the state.

The mango crop also was delayed this year due to climatic change.

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