Rajasthan to have bumper Kharif production owing to good rains

JAIPUR: Excess rains will be a boon to the parched state and Rajasthan will have a bumper kharif crop this season as sowing target touched 94 per cent, a top state agriculture department official said today.


As against a target of 1.54 crore hectare of sowing, an average of 1.45 crore hectares of sowing has already been achieved in Rajasthan's most districts (barring Sirohi) since June 1 for various kharif crops including soyabean, guar, maize, bajra, paddy and pulses, D B Gupta, Principal Secretary (Agriculture) told PTI.

In between June 1 and August 21, Rajasthan received an average of 560 mm of rainfall as against 392 mm last year, which is now 42.72 per cent more, Gupta said.

Despite excess rains, Kota division achieved a sowing target of 96 per cent, Jaipur, Tonk and Dausa 101 per cent each and Ajmer 102 per cent, he said adding that there was so far no report of any sapling damage due to the incessant downpour in Hadoti region covering Kota, Jhalawar, Baran, and Bundi.

Southwest monsoon is still active across the state and the kharif sowing target would further go up by September, the Principal Secretary said.

Due to the good rains, the state will achieve a production target of 136 lakh tonne of kharif crops this season as against last season's 131 lakh tonne, Gupta said.

Rajasthan's share in agriculture included 40 per cent bajra, 46 per cent mustard, 40 per cent cumin, 65 per cent coriander and 80 per cent guar, he added.