Gujarat has seen a rise in summer paddy sowing this season even as the overall sowing in the state is on course to be normal despite the southwest monsoon having remained sluggish in the latter half of last year. According to the latest sowing data from Gujarat's Directorate of Agriculture (DAG), farmers had sown paddy in 87,870 hectares (ha), as of March 18. This is around 117 per cent of the state’s average paddy sowing area of 75,157 ha in the last three years. The corresponding figure last year was 76,697 ha. This year’s sowing has increased by more than 11,000 ha. January and February mark the summer paddy sowing season in the state, and the crop is harvested in April and May. Central Gujarat and South Gujarat regions are where farmers grow this crop due to the abundance of irrigation water. The increase this season has come from Kheda (13,700 ha this year as against 12,800 ha last year), Anand (6,800 ha against 9,100 ha), Vadodara (9,100 ha against 5,000 ha), Bharuch (5,600 ha against 3,700 ha) and Panchmahal (3,100 ha against 300 ha). The higher acreage has also been supported by Ahmedabad, the largest paddy growing district of Gujarat during summer, recording sowing in 29,900 ha of area. This is marginally lower compared to the last year (30,300 ha). However, it is the fourth highest over the past decade. The district recorded paddy planting in 33,825 ha in 2017-18 and 31,283 ha in 2020-21. Farmers say they have retained their paddy planting area, thanks to the state government releasing Narmada water into the Fatehwadi canal. “The state government is releasing Narmada water in Fatehwadi canal this year. This canal, which originates from Vasna barrage in Ahmedabad, supplies irrigation water to farmers in Sanand, Bavla, and Dholka talukas of Ahmedabad district, and the regular flow of water in the canal has enabled farmers to plant paddy this summer also,” Khengar Solanki, chairman of Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), Sanand says. Farmers agree. “The flow of sewage water used to be intermittent. But this year, thanks to Narmada water being released in Fatehwadi canal, the flow has been regular since January, giving farmers confidence to plant paddy,” Suresh Gohel, a farmer who has planted paddy in his entire holding of 50 bigha (6.25 bighas make one hectare) in Sari village of Sanand taluka, says.
