Favourable rains boost kharif sowing

An official from the agricultural department said: “The department is yet to arrive at the final figures. This season,the total cultivation area is estimated to touch the 90 lakh hectares mark.”

The cultivation area in Gujarat is a little over 95 lakh hectares. Following the average monsoon last year,sowing was limited to 85 lakh hectares. Sowing for the main crops — cotton,groundnut,pulses and castor is expected to increase.

Though known as a drought-prone region,this season,five of the total eight districts in Saurashtra-Kutch have received twice the average rainfall.

On the percentage scale,Jamnagar has received 1024 mm rainfall,which is over 150 per cent of its average. In Kutch,the rainfall has touched the 579 mm mark,146 per cent of the average. At 1051 mm,Porbandar has received 134 per cent of its average rainfall.

Junagadh at 991 mm and Rajkot at 663 mm have recorded 104 and 103 per cent of their average rainfall.

The Saurashtra region agriculture office at Rajkot said the sowing of groundnut has increased in Rajkot,Amreli,Junagadh and Jamnagar,while in Surendranagar and Porbandar,cotton cultivation is on the higher side.

Excessive rain threatens to damage crops,but experts project that the rise in water levels,both in reservoirs and underground aquifers,will increase the Rabi crop sowing area in Gujarat too.