Rabi sowing to pick up

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 12

The Rabi sowing, which was delayed due to continuing dry spell, would pick up fast following widespread rains and snow in most parts of Himachal breaking the 10-week-long dry spell.

The post monsoon rain deficit was 89 per cent till Sunday (December 10) which came down to 44 per cent today following heavy rains and 20 per cent remaining sowing would be completed in next few days, meeting the target. “The rains are nothing less than gold for the farmers at this stage as these would create conducive conditions for sowing and 20 per cent remaining sowing under Rabi crops would be completed in next few days”, said Director Agriculture, Desh Raj Sharma.

The rains have come as a big relief to the farmers as 70 per cent of cultivable area was rainfed and even the farmers who had shown the crop were worried as there were virtually no rains, particularly in lower areas of Bilaspur, Solan, Sirmaur, Hamirpur and Una districts and fear of seeds going waste was haunting them.

The monsoons had ended with 15 per cent deficit and there was not enough moisture in the soil for sowing and germination and emergence which require moisture and warmth.

The timing is very important as the crops sown in September, October and November emerge in 11, 15 and 26 days, respectively, but it takes more time in cold areas, say farm experts. A small farmer, Kanshi Ram from Darlaghat, who grows wheat, peas and gram, said that sowing was delayed inordinately due dry spell but now sowing would be possible as the rains have provided enough moisture.

Rains are also boon for apple crop as it would help in providing the requisite chilling hours of 1200 to 1600 and temperature below seven degree and the snow in higher hills would prove white manure for good apple crop.

A target of 16-lakh tonne of food grains and 15-lakh tonne vegetable was fixed for 2016-17 but achievement was 15.86 lakh tonne and 15-lakh tonne. The foodgrains target has been increased to 16.45 lakh tonne for 2017-18 while vegetable production target was 15.40 lakh tonne.

Potato production target was 1.95 lakh tonne but 1.50 lakh tone was achieved while the target for current year is 2.00 lakh tonnes. The Kharif and Rabi target which has been fixed at 8.94 lakh tonne and 7.51 lakh tonne for 2017-18 would be achieved subject to rains and snow at regular intervals.