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Wide-spread rains of the last week are expected to improve Rabi crop production significantly though they have damaged standing crops in some areas.
The rains, Indian Meteorological Department reports, have occurred in all parts of the country except central India. Rains have been particularly good in coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh and Orissa.
Agricultural scientists feel that besides adding copious moisture to soil, these post-monsoon rains have reduced temperature and this would help growth of Rabi plants.
Rains in the monsoon season, which ended on 30th September, were below normal by 13 %, with as many as 13 out of 36 Meteorological Sub-divisions receiving deficient rains.
The Weather Watch Group, which met under the chairmanship of Additional Secretary Shri R.S. Pandey to take stock of crop prospects, input supply position and weather conditions in the last week, has been informed that despite drought productivity of paddy and cotton in Kharif this year has been satisfactory in irrigated areas such as Punjab.
The WWG was also informed that reservoirs throughout the country are full by more than 80% of the average except in Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal. The total live storage in 71 important reservoirs in different parts of the country was 84.58 billion cubic metre on October 1. This was 6.82 bcm more than last year’s position on October 1, and 10.09 bcm less than the average of last 10 years storage.
Taking note that adequate quantity of seed and fertilisers are available for the Rabi season, the WWG has decided that fertiliser availability will be rigorously monitored in the coming months to avoid localised shortages.
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