The Hindu : Revival of monsoon augurs well for rabi sowing

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 04, 2002

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National

Revival of monsoon augurs well for rabi sowing

By Gargi Parsai

New Delhi Sept. 3. The revival of monsoon augurs well for kharif crops, particularly the late sown rice, oilseeds and fodder, as per the latest reports with the Union Agriculture Ministry. The normal rainfall in several parts of the country in the last week has improved reservoir positions and will reduce the moisture stress in the soil. This will help rabi sowing, experts say.

Even though the initial damage to coarse cereals, oilseeds and pulses remains, the government has ruled out the possibility of halting exports in some of these commodities, including rice. Rainfall during last week was "normal to excess'' in most parts of central India, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Gujarat, Jharkhand, and parts of West Bengal. It was "deficient to scanty" in Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, northeast India, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi (-60 per cent), West Rajasthan (-74 per cent) and East Rajasthan (-60 per cent), however, remain the `scanty'' meteorological sub-divisions.

According to the IMD, during the current week, widespread rainfall is likely over Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, west Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, East Rajasthan (on September 4 and 5). "Fairly widespread" rains are likely over Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

The rainfall during the August has significantly improved the overall water stock. The water in the 70 important reservoirs is about 40 per cent of Full Reservoir Level i.e. 130.55 billion cubic meters up from 35 per cent reported last week. The present water storage is 70 per cent of last year's level and 60 per cent of last 10 year's average. The weather scenario in July had impacted the coverage of rainfed crops, mainly coarse cereals and to a less extent, that of rice, oilseeds and pulses. The sowing of soyabean crop was also affected. However, fairly widespread rains in July-end and August have benefited the standing crop.

The sowing of rice has been affected to a lesser extent so far due to available irrigation support in Punjab, Haryana and parts of western Uttar Pradesh. Sowing of rice has picked up in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh after the recent rains and area backlog has narrowed down. The bajra area coverage in Rajasthan and Haryana has suffered extensively, though some area pickup is reported in Uttar Pradesh and east Rajasthan. However, recent rains may bring area under fodder crops and other kharif pulses, thus reducing the stress. These rains are also beneficial for the other kharif oilseeds crops.

Of 13 weeks of monsoon 2002 so far, six weeks were deficient and three weeks scanty. The overall cumulative rainfall for the country was 21 per cent below normal of its long period average (actual 565.6 mm, normal 715.6 mm) compared to minus 23 per cent last week.

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