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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Rains, lower temperature to boost planning of wheat, other rabi crops -Madhvi Sally

Rains, lower temperature to boost planning of wheat, other rabi crops -Madhvi Sally

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published Published on Dec 17, 2014   modified Modified on Dec 17, 2014
-The Economic Times

NEW DELHI: A spell of rains that fell across north, northwest and central India since Friday is expected to boost planting of wheat, chick pea, mustard and oilseeds. The cool temperature, though has set in late, is beneficial for the standing wheat crop, but potato and other vegetable crops could suffer from cold and frost conditions.

According to data from the agriculture ministry, total area covered under rabi - or winter-sown - crops was 6.5% less than previous year at 47.07 million hectares as of Friday.

Agriculture officials have cited delay in winter rains and high temperature in the past fortnight for the fall in planting. However, things are expected to improve, as the India Meteorological Department forecasts rainfall over the northern region over the next 48 hours.

"Rains will help in planting of wheat in rain-fed regions of the hilly states. We also expect planting to pick up in east and northeast India where sugar and paddy are being harvested," said Indu Sharma, head of the Directorate of Wheat Research at Karnal. Currently wheat has been planted on 24.19 million hectares, compared with 25.13 million hectares a year earlier. Sharma said planting of late varieties will continue until end-December.

Rains were expected to further help mustard crop in rain-fed regions. Sowing area under oilseeds at 7 million hectares is less the 7.5 million hectares at this time last year.

"These interim planting estimates cannot be treated as absolute data for determination of annual output. Secondly, due to new seed varieties, even if there is marginal decline (in acreage), output may not suffer much due to good yield," said Tejinder Narang, a grain analyst in New Delhi.

For the past three days, most of north and northwest India has been braving strong cold winds, fog and snowfall. Maximum temperatures were below normal by 5-9 degrees in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

Traders expect rains to help in growth of plants which had become stunted due to high temperature. "The heat stress was not leading to growth of chana (chick pea) crop. Now with rains we expect growth to pick and yields to increase," said importer and stockist Sunil Baldewa of Siliguri Associate at Delhi's Naya Bazaar.

Traders said acreage could see a slight increase from the current 7.15 million hectares, but would not reach last year's 8.58 million hectares.

Chana was priced at Rs 3,075 per quintal in Delhi's wholesale market, below the minimum support price of Rs 3,300. State-run Nafed, which had procured 2.5 lakh tonnes chana from the mandis at the minimum support price, was selling at Rs 2,750-2,925 a quintal, said Baldewa.

But higher prices of masur (red lentil) and matar (yellow peas) are expected to support the planting this season of these main rabi pulses, traders in Mumbai said. The drop in temperature with no clear skies is leading to ground frost. Potato growers in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have been closely watching the crop, which is vulnerable to late blight owing to ground frost. Agriculturists have advised farmers to remove the leaves with thin layer of snow early morning and water the plants. Farmers growing tomato, peas, cauliflower, garlic and onion have been advised to cover plants with dry paddy or sugarcane straw.


The Economic Times, 15 December, 2014, http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-12-15/news/57071914_1_hectares-other-rabi-crops-standing-wheat-crop


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