National

Rabi sowing 'subdued'

By Gargi Parsai

New Delhi Jan. 20. Rabi sowing has been "subdued'' in Rajasthan, parts of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat due to weak monsoon followed by weak post-monsoon. The ground frost that has hit parts of North India has not helped the situation as extreme cold conditions affect plant cells making them "burst''.

Already there is an estimated shortfall of 20 million tonnes in foodgrains production in kharif this year owing to widespread drought in parts of the country.

An inter-Ministerial group on Crop and Weather Watch in the Ministry of Agriculture took note of the shortfall in the sowing of rabi wheat, pulses, coarse cereals and oilseeds particularly in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and parts of Uttar Pradesh.

Sowing of wheat, which is the major rabi crop, is lagging by about 26 lakh hectares during rabi. As against 267 lakh hectares, only 217.1 lakh hectares has been sown so far.

Sowing is lower in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh so far.

The sowing of rabi rice is 5.2 lakh hectares, which is short by 0.4 lakh hectares over last year. Sowing is on in Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka.

However, the coverage under rabi coarse cereals is more than normal by 6 lakh hectares but still less by about 4 lakh hecatres over the corresponding period last year.

The sowing of rabi pulses is about 101.5 lakh hectares, which is less by about 5 lakh hecatres from last year's coverage. The area is less in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Chattisgarh, but more in Andhra Pradesh.

In the case of oilseeds also there is a shortfall of about 8 lakh hectares.

While the normal area sown is 88 lakh tonnes, the sowing so far has been 72 lakh tonnes. Sowing is less in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

While sowing in groundnut is still on, the area covered under sunflower is normal and under safflower is short by about 0.7 lakh hectares.

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