Early monsoon brightens prospect of a better kharif paddy this year

KOLKATA: With the southwest monsoon arriving on time, eastern states are hoping for a better kharif paddy crop this year. In West Bengal, the leading rice producer in eastern India, chief minister Mamata Banerjee has taken the initiative of sending paddy seeds to farmers well in advance keeping in mind the panchayat elections round the corner.

Dr Trilochan Mohapatra, director, Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI), told ET: “As of now, the monsoon situation looks good and this has raised the expectation of a better kharif paddy this year. Farmers are preparing nurseries.

However, rains should continue till July as well when transplanting takes place. That is the most crucial thing for kharif paddy.” Seven eastern states that come under the 'Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India (BGREI)’ programme are Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, eastern Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

After the launch of the BGREI programme, rice production in eastern India has gone up by about 30% in the last three years as part of the government’s goal to shift rice production from water-starved northern states to water-surplus eastern states.

The seven states produced an average of 42.6 million tonne of rice before the launch of BGREI but now they contribute 55.62 million tonne or over half of the rice produced in the country.

The country produces 105 million tonne of rice annually. The production in the seven states has increased to 46.97 million tonne in 2010-11, 55.27 million tonne in 2011-12, and 55.62 million tonne in 2012-13. Rice is produced on nearly 25 million hectares in eastern India.

Dr Mohapatra said this year’s kharif rice production may top last year’s. He said the average productivity in eastern India is likely to cross 2 tonne rice per hectare.

Dr Mukund Wariar, officer in charge of Central Rain-fed Upland Rice Research Station, said nearly 50% of farmers in Odisha are preparing nurseries. “In Jharkhand, there were rains in early June. But famers could not take advantage of it because they were not prepared. But in the last two days, there has been a substantial movement among farmers to prepare nurseries,” Dr Wariar added.

West Bengal director (agriculture) Paritosh Bhattacharya said: “We took a conscious decision last year that farmers should be provided seeds well in advance so that they can start preparing nurseries once the monsoon hits the state.