Scanty rains hit kharif crop sowing

Scanty rainfall has delayed sowing of kharif crops such as paddy, maize and tur in many parts of the country, with 14 key agricultural states still 'deficient' in rainfall and two figuring in the 'large deficient' category, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

This could hit output of kharif crops as well as force farmers to shift to short-term crops, said industry executives and experts.

"Farmers in several parts of the country, where there is a deficiency of rainfall, are in a wait-and-see situation," said Santosh Jhanwar, chief executive of Agriwatch, an agricultural research firm which works with more than a million farmers across the country.

Even as the southwest monsoon has covered almost the entire country. Maharashtra in central India has a rainfall deficiency of 50%, as of June 29, while Marathwada and Vidarbha regions in the state have a deficit of 68% and 48% respectively.

The state government in Maharashtra - the country's top producer of tur or arhar and sugarcane, and the second largest producer of cotton and soybean - has advised farmers to hold back the sowing of kharif crops to avoid re-sowing, said people in the know.

Similarly, Bihar and Jharkhand in the eastern part of the country have a rainfall deficiency of 69% and 47% respectively, while Telangana in the southern peninsula has a deficit of 49%.

In Bihar, where rainfall is 30% less than normal, a review meeting was held recently to assess kharif sowing and drought preparedness in case a situation arises, said officials. While paddy is the main kharif crop of Bihar, the state is also a large producer of maize.

The Telangana government, on its part, has advised paddy farmers to opt for short duration varieties in order to mitigate the damage caused by insufficient rainfall.

"Farmers are likely to shift to short-term crops due to the rainfall deficiency in June," said Pushpendra Johri, senior vice president, RMSI, a crop analytics firm.