The crop weather watch group of the union agriculture ministry has cautioned the government that if adequate steps are not taken to control the incidence of pests and disease affecting standing crops, the prospects of a good rabi harvest would be dampened.The group, quoting reports available from states, has said that the area under wheat during the current rabi season is 24.96 million hectares, which is about 5.9 lakh hectares lower than the coverage during the corresponding period of the previous year. Last year the production of wheat was low and as a result the country had to import about four million tonne of wheat.
The report further stated that intermittent rains, cloudy weather and abnormal temperatures in December 1997 created a situation of delayed sowing of wheat crop. However, there has been some resowing in pockets. The decline in area covered under wheat crop is largely in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, though a report from the former state says the area may have actually increasedmarginally.
Pests have affected the prospects of the cotton crop in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The wheat crop is also reported to have been badly affected by pests in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. The mustard crop has been hit in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana and gram in these four states and Haryana.
The group has advised that the overall crop condition, especially that of wheat, rapeseed, mustard and gram, and the sowing of summer crops and availability of various inputs, including irrigation facilities, needs to be carefully monitored. The group noted with satisfaction that nursery sowing and transplanting of rabi/summer rice is reported to be in progress in the southern, eastern and north-eastern states and the area coverage has so far been normal. The area coverage under coarse cereals -- namely, jowar and barley-has slightly increased in the current season over the previous one. The overall area under coarse cereals during rabi 1997-98 is reported to bearound the normal level of about 72.3 lakh hectares, higher than the 70.1 lakh hectares during the corresponding period last year.
The sowing of rabi oilseeds like rapeseed, mustard, safflower and linseed is complete, whereas that of summer groundnut and summer sunflower is still in progress. The area coverage under rapeseed and mustard, which is the major rabi oilseed crop, is reported to be 69.4 lakh hectares as against 65.4 lakh hectares during the corresponding period last year. With higher area coverage also reported for sunflower, the overall coverage under rabi oilseeds is reported to be about 10.5 million hectares in the current season as against 10.06 million hectares during the corresponding period last year. The sowing of rabi pulse crops like gram, lentil and peas is over. The area under gram is reported to be higher in Rajasthan and Haryana. The area coverage is, however, reported to be lower in major producing states like Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. But the total coverage under gram isreported at 72.4 lakh hectares in the current season as against the coverage of 70.7 lakh hectares during the corresponding period last year.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
