Monsoon mood
27-Jul-2024 10:41 AM
The southwest monsoon is showing excessive favour to some special states this year, which includes Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh etc. On the other hand, the performance of monsoon is weak in nine states including Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana and Kerala and there has been less rainfall than the normal average.
The mood of monsoon seems to have changed a bit this time as compared to last year. Last year there was a severe drought in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat, due to which not only the sowing area of Kharif crops decreased but its production also decreased. On the contrary, this time there is very heavy rainfall and flood havoc is also being seen in many areas.
As a result, there is a possibility of serious danger for the crops sown earlier. At the national level, the total monsoon rainfall has reached close to the long-term average, but its uneven distribution has created a strange situation in the country.
While due to heavy rainfall and rising waters in rivers, crops are being affected by floods, there is a possibility of damage to crops due to lack of rainfall and intense heat.
However, the latest data of the Union Agriculture Ministry shows that the total production area of Kharif crops at the national level has increased to around 812 lakh hectares,
which is about 18 lakh hectares more than the sowing area of about 794 lakh hectares during the same period last year, but it would not be appropriate to include the areas where crops are being damaged due to natural disasters in the area for determining production figures.
It is worth noting that due to less monsoon rainfall in states like Bihar, Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, the production area of paddy at the national level has gone down from last year.
Similarly, there has been a huge decline in the sowing of cotton, but a good increase is being seen in the area of pulses, oilseeds and coarse grains.
The Meteorological Department has warned of torrential rains and severe floods in 18 states of the country.
If the heavy monsoon rains continue in August as well, then it will become difficult to estimate the profit-loss equation for Kharif crops.