Above the normal maximum temperatures during April-red will not have an impact on the sowing kharif, but farmers could be affected by increased irrigation costs, the experts said. This matter assumes importance because agriculture contributes around 18% to Indian GDP.
“I don’t think so high temperature has any impact on sowing kharifs, especially Paddy, which commands the main areas under the kharif. At the moment I am waiting for the Indian Meteorology Department (IMD) of the monsoon prediction, which will be announced in the middle of the talent.
The main crops are kharif rice, corn, soy and bajra. In addition, pulses such as Arhar, Urad and Moong are also sown. In the 2024 kharif, Paddy was sown of over 41 million hectares, pulses over 1777 million hectares, gross cereals such as JOW, Bajra18.96 million hectares and oil seeds of 19.33 million hectares.
Hot-not the usual summer
In the latest weather forecast, IMD warned on Monday that most parts of the country are expected to have in April to have unusual summer warmer than possible. States that are likely to see over the normal days of waves are Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Pandjab, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Northern works of Karnataka.
“There would be no impact on sowing kharif due to a warmer summer. The only cause of concern is that if the temperature remains high, it can affect crops such as summer mong and corn, which is largely grown in the eastern part of the country,” C. Viswanathan, Joint Director of Research, Indian Research Institute for Agriculture.
Last year, the total area below Moong was 3.52 million hectares and maize was grown over 8.75 million hectares in the kharif season.
Irrigation costs increase
However, experts said the warmer summer would increase the cost of irrigation.
“Higher temperatures will lead to greater demand for water irrigation, which will affect sowing and initial phase of kharif crops. IMD prognosis above average temperatures in April will lead to higher demand for diesel and electricity for irrigation in rain areas. Prof. Sudhir Panwar, farmer’s commission.
“For example, in Uttar Pradesh, the power supply for agriculture has decreased from 9 hours to 7 hours, which also in two phases. Farmers may decide to reduce the crop area especially unpeeled in watercourse areas due to high diesel costs and volatility of the Kharif market,” he added.
In 2024, the production of Kharif, above normal monsoons, and a reasonable level of the tank supported agricultural growth. According to the second advanced estimate of agricultural production announced in March by the Ministry of Agriculture in the years 2024-25 154.1A million metric tons. The normal southwest monsoon in 2024 improved water levels in the tanks and provided sufficient water for irrigation during RABI production.
(Tagstotranslate) kharif sewing
