Heavy Rains and Waterlogging Threaten Kharif Crops in Bundelkhand
21-Jul-2025 01:53 PM
Jhansi. Bundelkhand division, which is generally considered drought-prone, is facing the crisis of torrential rains and waterlogging in the fields this time.
There has been and is heavy rain this time in districts like Lalitpur, Jhansi, Banda and Mahoba, which is hindering the sowing and progress of Kharif crops. In the areas where there has been normal rainfall, the sowing situation is good.
According to the information received, there are signs of heavy damage to pulses seeds in many areas due to heavy rains immediately after the sowing of Kharif crops in Lalitpur district. Mung and Urad are cultivated on a large scale there in the Kharif season.
The normal average area of Urad in Lalitpur district is 2.34 lakh hectares while the average production is 1.76 lakh tonnes. The average yield rate of Mung there is estimated to be around 1300 tonnes. Due to waterlogging in the fields due to extremely heavy rainfall, sowing of Kharif crops in the district is stuck at 60-70 percent and in some of these areas, there are reports of crop (seed) getting destroyed.
Bundelkhand's Jhansi, Banda and Mahoba districts have also received heavy rainfall. In Jhansi, cultivation of pulses, oilseeds and coarse grains has been completed in about 65 percent area.
The area of urad and moong has reached 61 percent while the area of soybean was recorded at 69 percent. According to the Meteorological Department, during the current monsoon season, till July 18, there was heavy rainfall of 499.7 mm,
which is much more than the normal average rainfall of 267.06 mm. In many areas, the fields have been submerged, due to which there is a serious threat to the pulses and oilseeds crops. The Uttar Pradesh government has formed a survey team to assess the damage.
According to agricultural experts, if heavy rains continue in Bundelkhand division, which is famous for pulses production, then pulses as well as other coarse grains including maize, soybean, groundnut and cotton crops may also suffer serious damage.