MC Daily Monsoon Tracker: Kharif sowing shows massive rise in Karnataka, Gujarat, Rajasthan

Karnataka, Rajasthan and Gujarat witness gains in kharif acreage

Karnataka, Gujarat and Rajasthan have seen massive gains in kharif sowing, as the regions received above-average rainfall in 2024, according to data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare and the India Meteorological Department.

A Moneycontrol analysis of the data shows that rice sowing in the three states was the highest in the past five years. Rajasthan recorded a 38 percent increase from normal coverage (2018-2023 average), while Karnataka’s coverage surged 14 percent over normal.

In case of pulses, Karnataka pipped Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra to become one of the major growers in the country. Rajasthan, which also witnessed the highest acreage compared with the last five years, still retains the top spot in pulses sowing. The state accounts for nearly a third of the country’s total sowing.

However, a significant shift has taken place in coarse cereals and Shree Anna. While Rajasthan retains the top spot, data shows that Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh seem to have taken a shine to the crops after the government pushed for coarse cereals and Shree Anna in 2023.

While all three states witnessed the highest sowing in 2024 compared with the previous five years, Karnataka pipped Uttar Pradesh as the third-largest producer after Madhya Pradesh, with a 19 percent jump from normal.

Among cash crops, the appetite for jute seems to be dwindling from West Bengal, the largest producer. The area under coverage was 16 percent lower despite normal rainfall.

Sowing during the Kharif season was just 0.8 percent below the average area sown over the last five years (2018-23), as of September 2 and was 1.8 percent higher than the last season.

Nearly three-fifths of India’s states faced extreme rainfall conditions as of September 8, as the country’s rainfall surplus widened further to 8 percent, compared with 7.8 percent the previous day, according to data released by the IMD.

Out of the 36 states and Union Territories, 14 experienced rainfall 20 percent more than the long-period average. Six of these were in the South, and four were in Central India.

Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Gujarat have received over 50 percent excess rainfall.

Four states in Northern and Eastern India each have deficient rainfall. Bihar, for example, has a 27 percent rainfall deficit.

India’s reservoir levels were 19 percent above the 10-year average on August 29, according to data released by Central Water Commission.