Monsoon enters last phase, key regions still rain deficient

Vibha Sharma

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New Delhi, August 26

As the four-month (June-September) monsoon season enters its last phase, key states, including paddy-growing regions, in the country are facing severe rain deficiency and continue to lag behind in sowing of the key kharif crop—paddy

While as on date the country on the whole is eight per cent in excess on the back of some unprecedented rains in western and central parts, states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand continue to record deficit rainfall in the ongoing kharif season along with Nagaland, Manipur and Tripura.

Along with an expected decline in wheat stocks, apprehensions of a fall in rice production due to drought-like conditions in parts has brought the focus on procurement in the kharif season which may also decide the future of the Centre’s free food programme, say experts.

“It remains to be seen if the scheme (5 kg free grain to NFSA beneficiaries), started in March 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, is extended beyond the existing deadline (September 30), they say

So far the scheme has been extended six times, the last being on April 1.

Though meteorologists are predicting rains over deficient parts in the coming days, paddy sowing continues to lag with the area under the key kharif crop recorded at 343.70 lakh hectare, 8.25 per cent lower than last year, around August 22.

Passing through the critical sowing phase, Uttar Pradesh as on date is 44 per cent deficit, Bihar 41 per cent, Jharkhand 26 per cent and Gangetic West Bengal 27 percent, according to the IMD’s latest data. Not just Jharkhand, UP, West Bengal, and Bihar, rice production is also expected to be affected in Punjab and Haryana due to the “mysterious dwarfing of paddy plants from all districts across the two States”

India’s wheat production is projected to have gone down by three per cent to 106.84 million tonnes even though the overall foodgrain production is estimated at a record 315.72 million tonnes in the 2021-22 crop year.

Wheat production was affected by heat wave, resulting in shrivelled grains in Punjab and Haryana.

The next wheat crop will come into the market from April 1, 2023, and till them the country has to rely on existing stocks.

Notably, on Thursday, the government put restrictions on the export of wheat flour to curb rising prices and ensure food security to vulnerable sections.