Rain likely to hit kharif crop production in Gujarat, Maharashtra

Production of important kharif crops such as cotton, sugarcane and oilseeds is expected to go down in the Indian states of Gujarat and Maharashtra due to irregular rainfall and pest attacks. Gujarat government had reduced the production and yield of kharif crops in its advance estimates for 2018-19.

Even though, the area under cotton cultivation in Gujarat has increased to 27.09 lakh hectares in 2018-19 as compared to 26.24 lakh hectares in the previous year, the state government pegged production at 88.28 lakh bales of 170 kg each, which is low from 101.87 lakh bales in 2017.

Moreover, cotton produce is estimated to drop by 16 percent to 554 kg of lint in 2018-19 from 660 kg. It also predicted a 22 percent decline in groundnut yield to 1,836 kg per hectare from 2,360 kg per hectare.  Hence, the cotton farmers are waiting for a good rainfall, which was actually lacking in September.

Vinay Kotak, director of Kotak Commodities said “If the areas do not get rainfall in next 8 to 10 days then there could be major decline in yields. However, if we get a good spell, there wouldn’t be adverse impact”.