Crop planting rises 38 per cent in one week

New Delhi: Planting of crops has jumped 38 per cent in the past one week as monsoon rains have significantly increased since the end of June and have covered almost the entire country, raising hopes of much higher farm production than last year and moderate prices of pulses and rice.

Water levels in reservoirs have also filled up to the average level, which is good for post-monsoon irrigation and hydropower generation.

The 91 reservoirs that the Central Water Commission tracks regularly as of Thursday held 45.49 billion cubic meters (bcm) of water, compared with 54.93 bcm at this time last year and 10-year average of 45.07 bcm.

Planting of oilseeds jumped 58 per cent in a week, and the area under its cultivation is now 2 per cent more than a year ago, largely due to good rains in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

Pulses acreage jumped 55 per cent in a week, and is now 39 per cent higher than last year even though this year's monsoon came late and was scanty till the middle of last month. Overall planting is now 2.08 per cent higher than last year at 55.98 million hectare, official data showed.

Planting of cotton and jute was lower than last year. Rice cultivation over the past week increased by 51 per cent and is 0.76 per cent higher than previous year. North East, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have seen an increase in area under rice cultivation. Water situation in reservoirs have improved significantly.

Now only five reservoirs have negligible water. Four of these — Jayakwadi (Paithon), Bhima (Ujjani), Yeldari and Girna — are in Maharashtra and the fifth, Nagarjuna Sagar, is in Telangana-Andhra Pradesh border.

According to data from the water commission, river basins of Ganga, Godavari and Narmada hold more water than normal, while water level of Sabarmati is normal. Indus, Tapi, Mahi, Krishna, Mahanadi and Cauvery have deficient storage.