New Delhi: Almost all the sectors of the economy including agriculture have been badly affected after the outbreak of COVID-19 and the lockdown imposed to control the pandemic. The activities started resuming gradually after unlocking started but with certain restrictions, outgrowing number of positive cases and simultaneously the threat of infection is still affecting the normal activities at large and experts say it will take more time for business and economy to get back to normal.
Agricultural activities, however, have been least affected if we talk about the ongoing Kharif season. The government ensured that agriculture activities are not disturbed due to lockdown restrictions and thus farmers were given relief from lockdown restrictions and allowed to carry on agricultural activities.
The data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on Friday shows a surge in the overall showing.
According to the government released data as on 10th of July, a total of 580.21 Lakh hectares of land has been sown during the ongoing Kharif. This is 44.13% more than what was sown in the corresponding season of last year. Last year a total of 402.57 Lakh Hectares of the area was sown.
Farmers have sown rice on 120.77 lakh hectares against 95.7 lakh hectares last year. Thus an increase in area coverage for rice is 162.35%. The area coverage of coarse cereals has also increased by 29.57% taking it to 93.24 lakh hectares. Last year it was 71.96 Lakh hectares. Similarly, the area coverage for other crops has also increased.
Oilseeds 139.37 lakh ha area against 75.27 lakh ha area of last year i.e. area coverage increased by 85.16%, Sugarcane on 50.89 lakh ha area against 50.59 lakh ha area of last year i.e. increased in area coverage by 0.59% while under Cotton area coverage reported on 104.82 lakh ha area against 77.71 lakh ha area of last year i.e. increased in area coverage by 34.89% and in case of Jute & Mesta on 6.87 lakh ha area against 6.82 lakh ha area i.e. increased in area coverage by 0.73% reported in-country.
So looking at these numbers there is no impact of COVID-19 on the progress of area coverage under Kharif crops as on date.
Better rainfall this monsoon has also helped farmers as the data procured till 9th of July shows that the actual rainfall received in the country is 275.4 mm against normal of 243.6 mm i.e. departure of (+)13% during the period from 01.06.2020 to 09.07.2020. As on 09.07.2020 as per a report of CWC, the live water storage available in 123 reservoirs in the country is 167% of live storage of corresponding period of last year and 146% of storage of average of last ten years. So apart from other factors, water availability has also been the key factor which resulted in the increased area coverage.
According to the statement released by the Ministry of Agriculture and farmers welfare, after the forecast of good southwest monsoon during 2020 government took several steps to ensure the timely sowing of crops. Ministry of Agriculture arranged timely distribution of fertilizer in all States and Union Territories as per requirement which helped in advanced progress in the process of sowing of Kharif season crops.
Also Read: Karnataka CM under home quaranatine after staff test +ve for COVID-19
