Pune: The country is experiencing frequent climate changes. Although the rainfall forecast for this year is good, there is no pre-monsoon rain yet. Most of the districts in Gujarat (25), Uttar Pradesh (14) and Maharashtra (11) in at least 66 districts (9%) of India have not received pre-monsoon rains since March to May 23. According to experts, this could affect pre-sowing work in these areas before the kharif season.
Although some parts of the peninsula and Northeast India received good rainfall this month, it did not receive much rain in Central India and parts of Northwest India. Not only that, pre-monsoon rainfall is still deficient in almost 31% of the districts in India, while the remaining 21% is deficient, according to IMD data up to May 23. According to farmers in Maharashtra, low pre-monsoon rains are likely to delay land preparation work before the start of the kharif season next month. According to IMD forecast till May 27, dry weather is forecast for most of the districts in Maharashtra. Lack of pre-monsoon rains could hamper kharif preparations.
With zero to insufficient pre-monsoon rainfall in about 60 per cent of India’s districts, this will affect pre-kharif sowing activities. Vijay Thube, Director, Shaswat Krishi Vikas India, a farmer-producing company in Pune district, said, “Pre-sowing work has been delayed due to lack of pre-monsoon rains. Land cultivation and leveling are stalled. Due to low rainfall, the soil is dry in many parts of the state. Due to the large area under cultivation, it is not possible to irrigate the field artificially for pre-sowing preparation. ” Ravi Patil, who heads a farmers’ production company in Vidarbha, said that overuse of pesticides makes the soil hard and bad. Due to lack of pre-monsoon rains, the soil becomes thicker. This makes it difficult to plow.
