Jowar, bajra cultivation to drop this year

NASHIK: As per the estimates of the agriculture department here, cultivation of cereals like jowar and bajra in the division would drop by 18% and 23% respectively in 2015-16. Meanwhile, the department has calculated an increase in the maize crop to 53%, higher by 13% compared to last year. The Nashik division comprises of Nashik, Dhule, Jalgaon, Nandurbar and Ahmednagar districts.
An official at the agriculture department said the increase in the cultivation of maize is due to rise in the demand of poultry, animal fodder and starch businesses. Another reason for its rise is that the crop suffers less damage compared to jowar and bajra in case of heavy rainfall.
The findings were presented recently to the divisional commissioner during a meeting held for planning kharif crops for 2015-16. The unseasonal rains have also forced the farmers to choose economical crops, the officials said.
“The per hectare produce of maize is more than jowar and bajra. The increase in production further results in more profit earnings per hectare, making the crop more lucrative to the farmers,” the official said.
The department has also estimated that rice cultivation would increase in the coming season due to the watershed works taken up in the hilly areas.
The official further said that production of pulses is likely to increase by 10% due to lack of foodgrain in the country and considering the increasing annual demand. “As the government has to import the needful, according to its policy, the production of pulses would thus be increased,” he added.
Along with pulses, the production of oilseeds is also likely to increase. The official said that it has been estimated that soyabean cultivation is likely to increase during the kharif season as farmers prefer soyabean over jowar and bajra crops. Besides, this would help reduce the import of oilseed. “It has also been proposed to have more produce of ‘karala’ crop owing to it characteristics of having omega-3 fatty acid,” he added.
Production of cotton on the other hand is likely to reduce in the coming season. “Due to unreliable and unpredictable weather conditions, farmers are reluctant to cultivate cotton. The per hectare profits received by the farmers on the crop are also less. Other reasons cited for its unpopularity this year are decrease in demand in international markets and average rise in the production cost,” he said.
The sowing process has been initiated for the kharif season with the department registering about 1% of sowing in the division. The activity is likely to pick up pace with the advent of monsoon.