The Minister for Agriculture, Shri Sharad Pawar, today made the following statement in the Rajya Sabha in response to the calling attention motion on ‘the uncertain position of monsoon and deficient rainfall in the country causing hardships and anxiety among the farmers and the need for a contingency plan therefor’:
India Meteorological Department (IMD)’s long range forecast update for the 2009 south-west monsoon season (June to September) indicates that the average rainfall is likely to be below normal; in particular the North-west region would be getting 81% of the normal rainfall. Progress of monsoon shows that as on 23.07.09 there is (-) 19% deficiency of rainfall in the country as a whole, with north-west region at (-) 38% and north east region at (-) 43%.
The Kharif sowing is in progress in all States. The kharif area coverage is almost normal in case of cotton, jowar, maize, pulses and oilseeds. However, less area coverage has been reported in rice and bajra. As on 16th July, the area coverage under rice is 114.63 lakh ha, compared to last year’s area coverage of 145.21 lakh ha which is 30.58 lakh ha. less than the area covered last year during the corresponding period. Main shortfall is reported from UP (-8.75 lakh ha), Bihar (-6.39 lakh ha), Chattisgarh (-5.87 lakh ha) and West Bengal (-2.80 lakh ha) and some other States. The total rice area is about 391 lakh ha. Bajra is reported to be covered in 34.67 lakh ha compared to last year’s area of 46.01 lakh ha at this week. However, the area coverage under Bajra will increase as it could be sown upto first week of August. The area coverage under Maize and Jowar is reported to be 46.18 lakh ha and 16.57 lakh ha respectively compared to last year area of 47.41 lakh ha in maize and 17.16 lakh ha in jowar. These crops can be planted upto end of this month. Therefore, normal area coverage is expected in these crops.
The area coverage under oilseeds including Soybean and Groundnut is 107.10 lakh ha compared to last year’s area of 110.32 lakh ha. Higher area is recorded in sunflower and castor. More area under soybean is reported in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. Higher area coverage of groundnut is reported in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
The area coverage so far under Pulses is 38.38 lakh ha compared to last year’s area of 40.73 lakh ha. More pulses area is reported in Karnataka (+3.97 lakh ha), Madhya Pradesh (+1.66 lakh ha), Maharashtra (+1.72 lakh ha) and Andhra Pradesh (+0.5 lakh ha). Higher area coverage is reported in tur (3.66 lakh ha) compared to last year.
Area coverage so far under cotton is 68.92 lakh ha compared to 61.68 lakh ha of last year which is more than 7.34 lakh ha compared to last year. The total sugarcane area is reported to be 42.21 ha, which is more than the normal area of 39.27 lakh ha but less than last years area of 43.79 lakh ha (-1.29 lakh ha)
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, Assam, Manipur and parts of some other States are likely to be affected by the deficient rainfall. Manipur has declared drought in all districts of State and Assam and Jharkhand have declared drought in 14 and 4 districts respectively. However, none of these States have submitted any Memorandum for assistance under NCCF. I have received a letter from C.M, Bihar on the drought situation in the State yesterday.
Short term measures for coping with the deficient rainfall:
Contingency plans: The Ministry has been constantly monitoring the sowing progress with the states through weekly videoconferences/ meetings, particularly in the wake of weak monsoon so far to coordinate adequate response. For different scenarios, contingency crop plans for specific agro climatic conditions have been prepared. General features of these plans include replacement of main crop such as rice with alternate crop like millets in case of delayed sowing; Planning for early maturing varieties of the main crop; Planning for protective irrigation by efficient use of available water; and Promoting Technical Package of Practice like direct sowing, less plant spacing, more seed rate etc.
Liaison: 100 MW of additional power from Central Pool was released to farmers of Punjab and Haryana for the timely completion of paddy transplantations and to protect crops already sown.
Additional Seed: 15 lakh quintals of is available in the public sector to support the alternate plans. Truthfully labelled seeds are being allowed to be distributed under Government Schemes in the affected areas. Age norms of seeds have been relaxed for the seed varieties distributed under Government Schemes.
Flexibility to states: States have been given flexibility to utilise the funds provided under Crop Development programs of Central Schemes such as RKVY, NFSM to meet the contingent situations in the event of deficient rainfall, particularly for purchase and distribution of additional quantity of seeds, support for micro-irrigation, etc.
Advisory services to farmers: Weather based Agricultural Management Plans are made available on the ICAR website which can be downloaded by State Governments, KVKs, District level officials of Department of Agriculture for further dissemination of technical information useful to farmers of different States. The council has also designated Nodal Officers in various State Agricultural Universities and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) for providing technical advice and spreading awareness among the farmers and other stakeholders in the districts.
Sum up: Monsoon this year has been weak and erratic in its progress, and distribution resulting in late sowing of crops. Situation has improved in most parts except the North West and North east regions and UP and Bihar. Contingency Plans are getting operationalised in the area where the dry spell is getting prolonged. States have been allowed to procure and position the additional quantities of seeds under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana. Rice area and productivity may be adversely impacted which could be compensated to some extent by additional area under oilseeds, pulses and some coarse cereals.
India Meteorological Department (IMD)’s long range forecast update for the 2009 south-west monsoon season (June to September) indicates that the average rainfall is likely to be below normal; in particular the North-west region would be getting 81% of the normal rainfall. Progress of monsoon shows that as on 23.07.09 there is (-) 19% deficiency of rainfall in the country as a whole, with north-west region at (-) 38% and north east region at (-) 43%.
The Kharif sowing is in progress in all States. The kharif area coverage is almost normal in case of cotton, jowar, maize, pulses and oilseeds. However, less area coverage has been reported in rice and bajra. As on 16th July, the area coverage under rice is 114.63 lakh ha, compared to last year’s area coverage of 145.21 lakh ha which is 30.58 lakh ha. less than the area covered last year during the corresponding period. Main shortfall is reported from UP (-8.75 lakh ha), Bihar (-6.39 lakh ha), Chattisgarh (-5.87 lakh ha) and West Bengal (-2.80 lakh ha) and some other States. The total rice area is about 391 lakh ha. Bajra is reported to be covered in 34.67 lakh ha compared to last year’s area of 46.01 lakh ha at this week. However, the area coverage under Bajra will increase as it could be sown upto first week of August. The area coverage under Maize and Jowar is reported to be 46.18 lakh ha and 16.57 lakh ha respectively compared to last year area of 47.41 lakh ha in maize and 17.16 lakh ha in jowar. These crops can be planted upto end of this month. Therefore, normal area coverage is expected in these crops.
The area coverage under oilseeds including Soybean and Groundnut is 107.10 lakh ha compared to last year’s area of 110.32 lakh ha. Higher area is recorded in sunflower and castor. More area under soybean is reported in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. Higher area coverage of groundnut is reported in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
The area coverage so far under Pulses is 38.38 lakh ha compared to last year’s area of 40.73 lakh ha. More pulses area is reported in Karnataka (+3.97 lakh ha), Madhya Pradesh (+1.66 lakh ha), Maharashtra (+1.72 lakh ha) and Andhra Pradesh (+0.5 lakh ha). Higher area coverage is reported in tur (3.66 lakh ha) compared to last year.
Area coverage so far under cotton is 68.92 lakh ha compared to 61.68 lakh ha of last year which is more than 7.34 lakh ha compared to last year. The total sugarcane area is reported to be 42.21 ha, which is more than the normal area of 39.27 lakh ha but less than last years area of 43.79 lakh ha (-1.29 lakh ha)
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, Assam, Manipur and parts of some other States are likely to be affected by the deficient rainfall. Manipur has declared drought in all districts of State and Assam and Jharkhand have declared drought in 14 and 4 districts respectively. However, none of these States have submitted any Memorandum for assistance under NCCF. I have received a letter from C.M, Bihar on the drought situation in the State yesterday.
Short term measures for coping with the deficient rainfall:
Contingency plans: The Ministry has been constantly monitoring the sowing progress with the states through weekly videoconferences/ meetings, particularly in the wake of weak monsoon so far to coordinate adequate response. For different scenarios, contingency crop plans for specific agro climatic conditions have been prepared. General features of these plans include replacement of main crop such as rice with alternate crop like millets in case of delayed sowing; Planning for early maturing varieties of the main crop; Planning for protective irrigation by efficient use of available water; and Promoting Technical Package of Practice like direct sowing, less plant spacing, more seed rate etc.
Liaison: 100 MW of additional power from Central Pool was released to farmers of Punjab and Haryana for the timely completion of paddy transplantations and to protect crops already sown.
Additional Seed: 15 lakh quintals of is available in the public sector to support the alternate plans. Truthfully labelled seeds are being allowed to be distributed under Government Schemes in the affected areas. Age norms of seeds have been relaxed for the seed varieties distributed under Government Schemes.
Flexibility to states: States have been given flexibility to utilise the funds provided under Crop Development programs of Central Schemes such as RKVY, NFSM to meet the contingent situations in the event of deficient rainfall, particularly for purchase and distribution of additional quantity of seeds, support for micro-irrigation, etc.
Advisory services to farmers: Weather based Agricultural Management Plans are made available on the ICAR website which can be downloaded by State Governments, KVKs, District level officials of Department of Agriculture for further dissemination of technical information useful to farmers of different States. The council has also designated Nodal Officers in various State Agricultural Universities and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) for providing technical advice and spreading awareness among the farmers and other stakeholders in the districts.
Sum up: Monsoon this year has been weak and erratic in its progress, and distribution resulting in late sowing of crops. Situation has improved in most parts except the North West and North east regions and UP and Bihar. Contingency Plans are getting operationalised in the area where the dry spell is getting prolonged. States have been allowed to procure and position the additional quantities of seeds under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana. Rice area and productivity may be adversely impacted which could be compensated to some extent by additional area under oilseeds, pulses and some coarse cereals.
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