Monsoon fails to pick up in Uttra Pradesh

With the monsoon failing to pick up in Uttra Pradesh a worried state government has dispatched teams to the worst hit districts to assess the situation on the ground. With some districts receiving just about a fourth of normal rainfall which should have come by now, sources say that the state government may even consider declaring some areas as drought hit if the monsoon does not revive soon.

The Chief Secretary Atul K Gupta has convened a high level meeting on Tuesday to assess the monsoon situation.

Though most districts in the state did receive some rains in the last couple of days they were scanty and insufficient for the farmers accelerate cultivation.

The latest data shows that till last week UP had received 66% less than normal rainfall. The worst hit area remains to be the western part of the state with the region getting 77% less than normal rainfall. These figures indicate the monsoon has only weakened further as the weeks advance, belying the hopes of the weather department officials of a revival.

Though the MET department officials still say that the monsoon can revive in the coming days and cover the losses, farmers say that it is not only the quantum of the rain but its timing also which is important for their crops.

Delayed and poor rains are expected to result in paddy cultivation declining by about 8 lakh hectares to cover only 52 lakh hectares this season. Agriculture department officials estimate that paddy production would fall to 131 lakh metric tonnes from the earlier target of 135 lakh metric tonnes. Poor rains for the water intensive cultivation of paddy would also result in the crop yield going down.

Cane acreage, which has been declining, in the state for the last few years is again expected to be low especially with monsoon being worst hit in west-Uttar Pradesh, which has traditionally been a cane belt. Cane acreage is expected to be about 19 lakh hectares this season as compared to 21 lakh hectares last season leading to a decline in cane production to less than 1,000 lakh metric tonnes, according to official estimates.

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