iGrain India - New Delhi. With the arrival of the southwest monsoon in Kerala on May 30 instead of the scheduled date of June 1, sowing of Kharif crops is expected to be done on time at the national level this time.
Heavy rains are expected in the drought-hit South India within the next few days. The rainy season is already going on in Kerala. Monsoon may reach Tamil Nadu (NS:TNNP) these days.
After this, it will reach Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Bengal by June 15-20. One end of the monsoon has reached the northeastern part of the country where heavy rains have caused severe floods in many areas.
Farmers are already making necessary preparations for the cultivation of Kharif crops. Paddy nurseries have been planted and its transplantation will start with the first monsoon rains.
This time the area is expected to increase because the market price of rice remains at a high level. Farmers' enthusiasm and interest in the cultivation of pulses is expected to increase.
The area under oilseed crops may remain normal to a large extent, while there is a possibility of some decrease in the area under cotton and sugarcane.
The sowing area of coarse cereals is expected to remain around last year. In this, the sowing of maize may increase somewhat because due to heavy demand and limited stock, its price has increased to much above the minimum support price. The monsoon has arrived on time. Now there is a need for good rains in the future.