The Guardian Minister of Mumbai, Dada Bhuse, who chaired a review meeting of the district agriculture department, stated that if the monsoon is weak or delayed due to El Nino, the department will supply seeds to farmers for cultivation of crops that require less water.
He also added that they were keeping an eye on all possibilities and warned that if the monsoon is postponed, the planting of kharif crops would also be delayed. Farmers can start planting all Kharif crops if the monsoon arrives by July 7. Soyabean, maize, jowar, bajra, cotton, red gramme (tur), sesame, sunflower, and paddy can be planted if rain falls between July 8 and July 15. However, farmers are advised to avoid crops such as groundnuts and black gramme (udad).
If the rain delays and arrives before July 31, farmers can plant soyabean, maize, bajra, red gramme (tur), and paddy, but not cotton, jowar, or groundnuts. If the rain falls after August 1, farmers can plant bajra, ragi (finger millet), sunflower, red gramme (tur), and rice, but not cotton, jowar, groundnut, or soyabean.
The agricultural department has recommended farmers that they can sow only when the soil moisture is adequate and make the most of intercropping strategies. The officer advised that in such cases, farmers should use 25% more seeds and 25% less chemical fertilizer.
The agriculture department anticipates kharif cultivation on 6.27 lakh hectares throughout the district. For the upcoming Kharif season, the department is supplying 68,000 quintals of seeds as well as 2.60 lakh tonnes of chemical fertilizer. Bhuse has also urged farmers to seek advice from the agriculture department on the seeds that should be planted and when.
Nashik agriculture department has taken a proactive approach to help farmers prepare for a weak or delayed monsoon season by suggesting crops to cultivate and those to avoid. Farmers are advised to follow these guidelines and seek advice from the department to ensure a successful kharif season.
