Maharashtra: Farmers will have to re-sow if rain plays truant

Farmers in at least 24 of the 36 districts in the state may have to go in for dubar perni (re-sowing) if the dry spell continues beyond July 22. These districts, mainly from Marathwada, Vidarbha and North Maharashtra, have received scanty rainfall. In most of them, sowing has been below 30% while in some, farmers have yet to sow for want of rainfall.

State agriculture department indicates that if rainfall does not pick up after July 22, the vegetative growth will be hit, hampering production. In some districts farmers have sown bajra, maize and groundnut, and they fear crop loss if the lull continues.

At the state level, 51% sowing has been done against the 75% possible with continuous rainfall. If there isn't sufficient rain, then production will be low in kharif season.

State agriculture minister Anil Bonde told DNA, "The India Meteorological Department has predicted revival of rainfall from July 22 in these regions. If this does not happen then there is every possibility of re-sowing by farmers. The department is holding a day-to-day review of the ground situation."

He said the state has put in place a contingency plan: one lakh quintal of soybean seeds are ready to be distributed in Vidarbha.

Farmer organisations have appealed the state government to urgently make available seeds and agriculture inputs for free.

"The government needs to step in and give us ample seeds and agriculture inputs for sowing in these districts. The government should ask banks to provide loans for sowing preparations, and the farmers should get benefits under the crop insurance scheme if they incur a loss," said Ajit Nawale, central committee member of the Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha.

Field Report 

• At the state level, 51% sowing has been done against the 75% possible with continuous rainfall
• If there isn’t sufficient rain, then production will be low in the kharif season