Good rains help increase kharif sowing, water storage in reservoirs doubles: Centre

Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, June 27

As Southwest Monsoon covered the entire country on Saturday, 12 days ahead of the normal date, farmers registered more than 100 per cent increase in sowing during kharif helped by good rains during the season.

Despite the Covid-19 crisis, they have so far planted an impressive 316 lakh ha, which is more than double of 154 lakh hectare planted during the corresponding period last year and higher than the average 187 lakh ha in past five years, according to the Agriculture Ministry.

Appreciating the contribution of the “competent Indian farmers” at a webinar organised by the ministry, Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agarwal also attributed it to the “path-breaking futuristic steps taken by the Government during the pandemic”.

 “The competence of Indian farmers and efforts of the industry during the crisis is evident by the fact that the area covered by kharif sowing this year is 316 lakh ha as compared to 154 lakh ha last year and an average of 187 lakh ha during past five years,” he said.

The country also received m 155.2 mm rains against the normal of 128.2 mm between June 1 and June 25, leading to a satisfactory progress of kharif sowing and doubling average water storage in 123 reservoirs.  As on June 25, live water storage in 123 reservoirs is 194 per cent of the live storage during corresponding period last year and 171 per cent of average in past 10 years.

Highest increase was recorded in oil seeds and pulses. While area under oil seeds increased to 83.31 lakh ha, more than three times compared to 24.07 lakh ha, about 19.40 lakh ha area has been covered under pulses against 11.45 lakh ha in the corresponding period.

So far 37.71 lakh ha area has been covered under summer rice compared to 32.05 lakh ha in the corresponding period last year and  47.96 lakh ha area under coarse cereals against 26.09 lakh ha of last year. About 49.69 lakh ha area has been covered under sugarcane against 47.77 lakh ha last year and 71.69 lakh ha under cotton as compared to 39.23 lakh ha last year.

The agriculture sector contributes to about 15 per cent of the GDP and livelihood for more than 50 per cent of the population.

India is the fourth largest producer of agro-chemicals, has the largest livestock population of around 31 per cent of world’s livestock and largest land area under irrigation.

While food processing in India is less than 10 per cent, target is to increase it to 25 per cent. There is increasing demand for value-added health-fortified and processed food while global organic market is growing at 12 per cent per annum.

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