The Hindu : National : Rains help rabi sowing

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Wednesday, Oct 20, 2004

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National

Rains help rabi sowing

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, OCT. 19 . Rabi (wheat) sowing is expected to pick up this fortnight, following good rainfall in almost all parts of the country.

Farm scientists have advised farmers to make the best use of moisture in the soil and recommended early sowing of rabi crops, especially mustard and rapeseed, in the northern plains which have received exceptionally good rain in the last two weeks. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) informed a meeting of the Crop and Weather Watch Group here on Monday that the entire northern belt had received normal to excess rainfall in the first fortnight of this month. The national average rainfall in this period has been 50 per cent above the normal.

Agriculture scientists are also advising farmers to harvest kharif crops as the weather is expected to be dry throughout the country except in some coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

The Central Water Commission (CWC) has reported an increase in the water storage in major reservoirs, mostly in Andhra Pradesh and Orissa. At the end of last week, of the 71 reservoirs monitored by the Central Water Commission, 31 were full by over 80 per cent of their capacity and 51 above half their live storage capacity.

The Watch Group, which takes stock of weather, credits, input and other aspects of agricultural production, was informed that enough fertilizers and seed were available for the rabi season. No major pest prevalence, except caterpillar infestation in Madhya Pradesh, has been reported.

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