pune

Updated: Jul 01, 2017 13:43 IST

Farmers strike in Maharashtra has hardly affected agriculture operations. State is likely to be heading for good crop yield because of satisfactory rainfall and farmers beginning sowing operations with the hope of good financial returns.

According to the information collected by agriculture department, sowing operations on more than 25 lakh hectares in Maharashtra has been completed. Sowing operation goes till end of July and even in August in some parts of the state.

Satisfactory rainfall has brightened hopes of farmers, indicating slight increase in the actual land under cultivation. Sources in agriculture department said that 94 per cent sowing operation has already completed and it will continue for next two months. Information collected by agriculture department has set aside fear that farmers strike will affect sowing operations as farmers are not in mood to continue with farming.

Officials in agriculture department believe that state is heading for good crop, with satisfactory yield, as most of the regions have received normal rainfall by the end of June. State has received 223 mm rainfall till June 30, which is described normal by the officials in Agriculture department. All six revenue divisions – Konkan, Nashik, Pune, Aurangabad, Amravati, Nagpur and Aurangabad have received good monsoon, excepting few areas.

Pune, Amravati and Nagpur revenue divisions have recorded more rainfall, compared to last year. Konkan, Nashik and Aurangabad have received less rainfall, as compared to last year. However, the difference is very marginal, which is not going to affect agriculture operations, officials in agriculture department said.

Marathwada region, known for farmer suicides, has received record rainfall in the first phase. The region has recorded 145 mm rainfall as against 171 mm in the last year. Satisfactory monsoon, in the initial stage, has been recorded in Beed and Osmanabad districts, which are considered as badly hit by the drought. Farmers have began sowing operations in both the districts, according to officials in agriculture department.

Uday Deshmukh, statistics officer in agriculture department said the monsoon was normal in Maharashtra. “We have recorded 223.3 mm rainfall till the date as against 205.3 mm in the last year. Only few parts in Maharashtra have recorded below average rainfall since the onset of monsoon,” he said.

With satisfactory monsoon farmers all over the state have began sowing operation. According to information gathered by the agriculture department, sowing operation on more than 25 lakh hectares have been completed. These crops include jowar, bajra, maize, pulses like tur, urad and soyabeen.

Konkan and other parts of Maharashtra, which are known for rice production, are waiting for more rainfall. Officials in the agriculture department said that sowing of rice began in July or August after receiving adequate rainfall.

Information gathered by agriculture department said that 28 tehsils out of 358 have received 25 per cent to 50 per cent of the average rainfall while only four tehsils have recorded below average rainfall. Areas, which have received less rainfall are mainly from Vidarbha region.

This is the second consecutive year when Maharashtra will experience good monsoon. Officials said ground water table in Maharashtra has increased because of continuous efforts because of which agriculture operations have began at satisfactory level.