Forecasts of heavy rains across key central and western growing regions have stoked fears of potential crop losses in the second half of September, industry officials said.Last week, the weather office said the monsoon, which turned patchy in the first week of September, will pick up in most parts, with rains expected in some of the key farm belts.Spurred by monsoon rains, farmers have planted a record acreage with crops such as rice, corn, cotton, soybeans and sugarcane.Rains were 17% above average in June but July rains were 10% below average. The monsoon picked up again in August and were 27% above average.Heavy rains in August damaged some cotton, pulse and soybean crops in a few pockets. In the absence of any official estimate, trade, industry and government officials say the rains had localised impact and the damage was not widespread.But heavy rains could cause extensive damage this month when crops ripen.Torrential rains would damage soybean and peanut which now need a relatively dry spell, said B.V. Mehta, executive director of the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India. Still, soybean output could surpass last year’s 9.3 million tonnes, he said.“Some pulse crops suffered a bit of damage in August, and now there are concerns about heavy rains in the latter part of this month,” said Vivek Agrawal, who owns JLV Agro, a trading firm.“We are keeping our fingers crossed.”
You have reached your limit for free articles this month.
To get full access, please subscribe.
Already have an account ? Sign in
Show Less Plan
Subscription Benefits Include
Today’s Paper
Find mobile-friendly version of articles from the day’s newspaper in one easy-to-read list.
Faster pages
Move smoothly between articles as our pages load instantly.
Unlimited Access
Enjoy reading as many articles as you wish without any limitations.
Dashboard
A one-stop-shop for seeing the latest updates, and managing your preferences.
Personalised recommendations
A select list of articles that match your interests and tastes.
Briefing
We brief you on the latest and most important developments, three times a day.
*Our Digital Subscription plans do not currently include the e-paper ,crossword, iPhone, iPad mobile applications and print. Our plans enhance your reading experience.
