This story is from June 22, 2016

Kharif sowing down by almost 80%

The delay in arrival of monsoon in the state has led to around 80% less sowing this season, until now, compared to last year.
Kharif sowing down by almost 80%
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Ahmedabad: The delay in arrival of monsoon in the state has led to around 80% less sowing this season, until now, compared to last year. An area of only 2.74 lakh hectares has been tilled and sown with kharif crops this year, while last year, by this time, 13.45 lakh hectares had already been sown. In Gujarat, sowing of different crops takes place over 86.78 lakh hectares in the kharif season.

According to agriculture department officials, kharif sowing in the state is likely to pick up once the monsoon sets in. Officials said that sowing is yet to take off in south Gujarat and Kutch. These two regions have recorded the lowest sowing of 8,600 hectares and 12,300 hectares, respectively.
According to state agriculture department, cotton has occupied the lion's share of sowing activities in the state, so far. Of the 2.74 lakh-hectare area where farmers have sown crops, around 64% has been used to sow cotton, while another 38,400 hectare was used for sowing groundnut. However, sowing of both groundnut and cotton remains lower than that of 2015.
Officials in the agriculture department said kharif sowing so far has been highest in Saurashtra region, where 1.26 lakh hectares have been sown, while in north Gujarat 95,000 hectares have been put to the plough till date this season.
Officials said that among districts, Botad was at the top with 46,600 hectares sown with crops.
This was followed by Surendranagar where sowing was completed in 36,500 hectare. Kharif sowing was yet to begin in six districts in the state.
According to agriculture department officials, farmers in the state are waiting for monsoon showers. This year, so far there hasn't been sufficient rainfall for farmers to risk full scale seasonal sowing of crops. Also, the dams in the state hold little water.
Karsan Patel, a resident of Amreli, said, "Usually, by June 21 we have one or two showers which moisten and softens the soil to make sowing easy. But this year the fields are still dry and hard, and have lain uncultivated as summer crops, too, were not sown due to lack of irrigation water. We have ploughed and readied the fields, and will start showing when the first showers arrive."
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About the Author
Himanshu Kaushik

Himanshu Kaushik is Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, Ahmedabad. He reports on Wildlife and state government. He takes special interest in reporting on wildlife, especially the lions of Gir. His likes listening to music.

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