Rabi crop sowing area to go up to 65 lakh hectares in Maharashtra

The minister convened a meeting to review the pre-rabi season preparations. He said wheat and harbara sowing will be on 30 lakh hectares. The IMD has predicted harsh winter this year, he said. Due to El Nino, the winter will be harsher across country. A harsh winter is conducive for wheat and harbara cultivation. Therefore, the area under these crops will go up. And planning should be done accordingly to ensure that farmers don’t fall short of seeds, fertilizers and other logistics, he said.

The agriculture department has shortlisted 44.37 lakh farmers eligible for direct benefit transfer schemes. All the flood relief compensation and other welfare schemes for farmers should be credited into their accounts before the rabi sowing season.

Earlier, the government had sanctioned Rs 2,215 crore for kharif crop loss compensation funds to farmers. After that, Rs 31,628 crore package for flood relief was given by government to farmers.

During September, Rs 1,356 crore was provided for Satara, Kolhapur, Beed, Dharashiv, Latur, Parbhani and Nanded districts as flood compensation.

The recommendations by agriculture department and agriculture research centres to enhance the crop production using advanced technology and planning should be implemented and farmers be made aware of the same, minister directed the officials.

“As per the plans, 11.23 lakh quintal seeds will be required for rabi season. But state government has a provision of 14.58 lakh quintals seeds. Last year, 25.8 lakh metric tonne fertilizer was utilised. However, we have urged the Centre to enhance fertilizer allocation with possibilities of increase in rabi sowing area. Accordingly, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers J P Nadda has sanctioned 31.35 lakh metric tonnes for Maharashtra,” he said.