97% kharif sowing in 4 North Maha districts
In Nashik, kharif sowing is nearly complete, with 97% done in north Maharashtra’s districts. Maize and soybean acreage have increased significantly due to recent rains. Maize sowing has risen to 5.19 lakh hectares, exceeding projections, while soybean acreage is at 1.78 lakh hectares. Other crops like moong, urid, tur, and bajra have seen reduced sowing. Paddy planting is progressing well, with 89% of the projected area covered. Overall, 19.99 lakh hectares of the anticipated 20.64 lakh hectares for kharif have been sown.
Nashik: Around 97% kharif sowing has completed in four north Maharashtra districts of Nashik, Jalgaon, Nandurbar and Dhule following bountiful rain in the past few days.
According to the state agriculture department, the acreage of 2 cash crops — maize and soyabean — has increased in the region. The acreage of maize has increased by 1.3 lakh hectares, from an average area of 4.06 lakh hectares to 5.19 lakh hectares, accounting for 128% of anticipated acreage for maize.
Moreover, soybean acreage has increased from an average of 1.48 lakh hectares to 1.78 lakh hectares, accounting for 120% of the areas projected by the state agriculture department.
Maize, soybean, moong, tur, cotton, bajra, urid, and paddy are the major kharif crops in the districts. The acreage of kharif crops like moong, urid, tur, and bajra has reduced to some extent in the region this kharif season.
The state agriculture department has projected sowing of moong on 61,316 hectares in the region, but it has been done so far on 43,955 hectares, accounting for 72% of the total anticipated areas. The areas under cultivation of urid have also reduced from the projected areas of 47,688 hectares to 27,004 hectares, accounting for 57% of total projected acreage.Of the projected kharif sowing acreage of 1.85 lakh hectares for bajra, the sowing has been done on 1.10 lakh hectares, accounting for 58% of total projected sowing acreage.
Following adequate rain in last few days, paddy plantation has also gained momentum in three districts of north Maharashtra except Jalgaon. Of the projected paddy acreage of 1.16 lakh hectares, paddy has been planted on 1.03 lakh hectares, accounting for 89% of total anticipated acreage. Kharif sowing has been completed on 19.99 lakh hectares out of an average kharif cultivation area of 20.64 lakh hectares in north Maharashtra, accounting for 97% of the anticipated sowing areas. While 99% of kharif sowing has been completed in Dhule and Jalgaon districts, it has been 97% completed in Nashik district and 95% in Jalgaon district.
