Ample moisture in soil helps Maharashtra farmers race ahead in rabi sowing

Farmers in the state were expecting a good yield in kharif but the unseasonal rain had almost wiped out their hopes. According to estimates, more than 50 per cent of the kharif area was affected in the rain with crops such as cotton, soyabean and maize reporting heavy losses. Most farmers who have lost their ready crops in the kharif season are hopeful of making up for their losses in the rabi season.

By far, chana — the most staple lentil in the Marathwada and Vidarbha regions — have reported the maximum growth. As against 10.64 lakh hectares of December 2018, this year chana has been sown over 13.4 lakh hectares. Similarly, jowar (14.22 lakh hectares as against 10.13 lakh hectares) and maize (1.07 lakh hectares as against 84,339 hectares) have seen good growth. At present, better price of commodities is also an added reason for farmers to increase their cropped area. Maharashtra normally reports sowing over 53.93 lakh hectares during the rabi season.

With record sowing in the offing, trade sources have started expressing their concern about a price slide. The slide, traders said, will be steep in case of chana that is already trading below government-declared minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 4,875 per quintal. At Latur’s wholesale market, the lentil is selling at Rs 3,700 per quintal, at present.

Most traders have ruled out any chances of price appreciation in chana. The central government, they said, had an unsold stock of 16.4 lakh tonnes that was procured under the MSP operations last year. This will further bring down prices once the fresh crop arrives. Latur-based dal miller and trader Nitin Kalantari said the government should get ready with its procurement plan much before the start of the season. “A last minute rush will not help farmers,” he said.