State records only 16% sowing

PUNE: The weak monsoon is now beginning to cast a shadow over sowing activities as well. Almost all the eight agricultural divisions in the state have recorded poor sowing so far, a recent report from the state agricultural department said.
Pune and Konkan divisions are lagging behind among the agricultural divisions with only 3% and 2% kharif sowing respectively, a recent report from the state agricultural department said.
Aurangabad and Latur divisions too have not much of a sowing to show, with 6% and 8% done till July 14. The total sowing in Maharashtra has been a low 16% till now.
In Pune division, poor rainfall has affected crops such as rice and finger millet or ?nachani', the report said. The sluggish monsoon has not only disturbed sowing across the divisions, but has also weakened crops already sown. It said the yield may be severely affected in case of rain-fed crops such as soybean and cotton.
In Konkan division, the average under kharif crops is 5.06 lakh hectare, but sowing here has been done on only 0.11 lakh hectare , which translates to 2% sowing. Though rice sowing has been completed in Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri districts and crop growth is satisfactory, conditions are bad in Thane and Raigad districts where poor rainfall has led to unsatisfactory growth of rice crop.
As for Pune, around 11 blocks received around 0 to 25% rainfall till July 14 (as compared to the average or normal rainfall), 15 blocks received 25% to 50 % rainfall in this period, eight received 50% to 75% rainfall, four received 75% to 100% rainfall, while only one received more than 100% rainfall. This affected sowing considerably, with only 0.22 lakh hectare having been sown till now, though the average under kharif crops here is 7.33 lakh hectare. This translates to only 3% sowing. The lack of rainfall has affected rice and finger millet crops considerably, the report said.
In Nashik division, the average under kharif crops comes to 20.47 lakh hectare, but sowing has been done on 2.61 lakh hectare or 13% sowing has been completed till July 14 this year. However, here too sowing remains disturbed due to lack of rainfall, as at the time of the survey, around 29 blocks here had received from 0 to 25% rainfall, nine had received between 25% to 50% rain, while only two had received 50% to 75% rainfall till July 14.
Of the 9.25 lakh hectare under kharif crops in Kolhapur division, only 2.47 lakh hectare has been sown, translating to 27% sowing. Similarly, out of the 17.09 lakh hectare under kharif crops in Kolhapur, only 1.08 lakh hectare has been sown, translating to 6% sowing.
In Latur division, out of the 24.44 lakh hectare which is under kharif crops, only 1.97 lakh hectare has been sown, translating to 8% sowing. Sowing in Amravati division has reached 21%, while that in Nagpur division has reached 32% till July 14.
Monsoon reached Maharashtra when it arrived at South Konkan on June 11, but has been less intense this time, the report said.
The average in the state under kharif crops is around 134.70 lakh hectare (excluding that under sugarcane). But till July 14, sowing was done on only 21.13 lakh hectare or 16%.