Monsoon delay causes 10-day setback in kharif crop sowing

Sowing for the Kharif season has been delayed by 10 days in the wake of erratic rainfall, as the southwest monsoon has been delayed and experts say this is likely to impact yield and quality, which has been on a decline over the years.

The country has received 56 percent lower rainfall than the long period average, increasing fears of El-Nino. Central India is the worst effected, followed by the east and north-east.

As of the 9th June, more than 78 lakh hectares of land have been sown. This is marginally higher than the area covered during the same period last year.

Ajay Goyal, Director at Shivaji Flour Mills, emphasised the long-lasting effects of El Niño, stating that the shrinking food basket, which used to expand each year, is now a cause for concern. He urged the government to pay attention and implement appropriate measures.

Despite the annual increase in minimum support price (MSP), productivity and overall production are not increasing. This phenomenon is expected to persist for four to five years, with delayed monsoons, uneven distribution, or severe monsoons becoming more common due to changing weather patterns.

Bimal Kothari, Vice Chairman of the India Pulses and Grain Association, said we need to now look at the long-term policy and what we need to do because this situation has arisen this year, this may arise again, maybe next year, or after a few years and so we have to take a pragmatic approach.