Kharif Sowing

Single superphosphate to be included in 'One Nation, One Fertiliser' scheme in the next few months

An estimated Rs 14,000 crore is expected to be injected into the rural economy of Uttar Pradesh through the procurement of paddy in the current 2022-23 kharif marketing season

This acreage was, however, 1.13 per cent more than the normal area in which paddy is planted

This will be the lowest output in two years, according to first estimate

The Centre has clamped export curbs on several paddy varieties as it feels that total production might drop by 10-12 million tonnes due to delayed sowing.

For all the kharif crops, the acreage, as on September 2, was around 106.92 mha - just 1.27% lower than last year

In the eastern states where monsoon is in deficit, work demand has also fallen barring Jharkhand, which has seen a 12.38% spike in households demanding work under MGNREGA in July

However, if monsoon progress in August and is geographically more even, Nomura believes Kharif sowing could still pick up going ahead, which in turn could keep food prices and inflation under check.

Uneven monsoon may have affected the sowing of Kharif crops in the country but it is too early to panic or worry about the production, food security and inflation, agriculture experts have said

Experts say a fall in paddy output could hugely impact cereal prices going forward as wheat stocks in central pool aren't enough to quell any surge in prices

With the pick-up in rains, the seasonal cumulative deficit will also go down over the next few weeks

The government also said that it will soon announce the subsidy rate for non-urea soil nutrients for the current fiscal

The total area covered under all crops was more than their normal area, which is the average of the last five years

Erratic rains have impacted sowing of kharif crops and unless the monsoon revives quickly, it could have an impact on the final yields, particularly of the crops that were sown late

Area sown to summer crops like paddy was lagging behind by 1.55 per cent so far in the ongoing kharif season of the crop year 2021-22 (July-June), according to data released by agriculture ministry

According to the latest crop sowing report, kharif crops have been sown in around 84.81 mn hectares till July 30, which is 4.7% lower than the same period last year

Area under rice (-8.9%), soybean (-11.05%), bajra (-37.83%) and cotton (-17.51%) sees maximum shortfall

Among cash crops, cotton planting has risen by 11.29 per cent to 121.25 lakh hectares so far in the current kharif season

Area under oilseeds increased 525% over last year and the sowing of pulses rose by about 222%. The planting and sowing of paddy, the main crop of the kharif season, has been 35% higher than last year

The final of a two-part series looks at how farmers are hoping a good monsoon will help make up for lockdown disruptions and losses