By Japan K Pathak, Ahmedabad, 25 March 2013

While majority of dams in Saurashtra have become open grounds, and ensuring only drinking water has been the main priority for the government and the people in most of the areas of Gujarat, the below 50% sowing of summer crops is not unexpected. The situation nationwide is not good either. In such circumstances, food inflation may only go up further.

According to state Agriculture department, by 18 March, only 44% of normal sowing has been witnessed in Summer 2013 in Gujarat. While average sowing area in this period of summer is 12,51,000 ha, this year it is 5,51,900 ha.

The obvious reason behind this is shortage of irrigation water, due to poor rain in last monsoon.

While sowing of onion and Til has been only 12% compared to normal average, Udad has been sown only in 6% area compared to last year. Other figures of sowing percentages; Mung 31%, Bajra 36%, Ground nut 37%, Paddy 39%, Fodder 43% and Corn 49%. Only near-normal sowing figure is – vegetables 93%.

In past, Gujarat has seen three-year cycles of droughts. It is nature’s arrangement to dry and clean up the soil at regular interval. After last year’s poor show, the monsoon 2013 has to be better, because summer output may not contribute positively or adversely much to economy, but Kharif output plays very important role. Keep fingers crossed, do pray.

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