Widespread rainfall in Maharashtra in the first week of July has significantly sped up Kharif sowing operations. By July 12, the state had sown across 84.61 lakh hectares, covering 59% of the average Kharif area. This progress, however, falls short of last year’s figures, where 82% of sowing was completed by the same period.
The agriculture department attributes the lower sowing rate this year to the impact of El Niño. A dry spell in June had initially resulted in a meager 28% sowing rate by the start of July. The revival of the monsoon in early July brought relief, boosting cultivation numbers. While Vidarbha and Marathwada have shown good progress, regions like Konkan, Pune, and Kolhapur are lagging behind.
According to agriculture department data, the Amravati division in Vidarbha leads in Kharif operations, with 81% of sowing completed. Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar follows at 65%, Latur at 63%, Nashik at 56%, and Nagpur at 53%. Rice transplantation in the Konkan region faced setbacks due to erratic early monsoon patterns, necessitating re-sowing after the rains returned in July.
Rafik Naikwadi, Director of the Agriculture Department, mentioned that sowing in Konkan will remain low until the new seedlings mature for transplantation. Plantation in the coastal region is expected to pick up pace in the latter part of July. Acknowledging the uneven progress, Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharane advised farmers in slower regions not to rush the process and wait for sustained rainfall before sowing.
