Weather forecaster Skymet says good winter rains are expected over most parts of India in the next few days
Sowing
of wheat in the week ending January 15 was less than last year, because
of less sowing area in the rainfed areas of Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and
Maharashtra.
Low residual soil moisture and unusually warm weather in this season has impacted rabi sowing in these parts.
However, with the weather turning cold in many parts of northern India, officials said sowing might pick up in the coming weeks.
Private
weather forecasting company Skymet in its latest weather update said
that good winter rains were expected over most parts of India in the
next few days. “The spell is expected to be five-day long commencing
from January 16 up to January 20.”
Data sourced from the
department of agriculture showed that till Friday, wheat was sown in
28.89 million hectares of land, down 1.45 million hectares from the same
period last year.
More than the area covered, it is the
condition of the standing crop that is of concern. Overall rabi crops
have been planted in 57.73 million hectares till Friday, which is 1.84
million hectares less than the same period last year.
Mustard,
the major oilseed grown during the rabi season, has been planted in 6.28
million hectares, down from 6.49 million hectares sown during the same
period last year.
Pulses has been sown in 13.63 million hectares, around 300,000 hectares less than the same period last year.
Sowing
of pulses could continue well into February. With the weather expected
to turn colder in the coming days, sowing might pick up. If it does not,
the fate of standing rabi crop would hang in the balance as the water
level in the 90-odd reservoirs in the country is below last year’s
levels; it is also less than the average level of the past 10-years.