July 8, 2010

Monsoon boosts soy planting in India

Soy planting has accelerated in India's main soy region, the central district, after rains revived this month.

Rainfall in Punjab and Haryana was four to five times the average level in the past two days, making up for the dry spell in June and reducing India's monsoon shortfall since June 1 to 11% from 16% a week ago, the weather data showed.

"I expect 80% to 90% sowing to be over by next week," said A.S. Chandel, a soy expert.

Director Surender Paul at the regional office of the India Meteorological Department said heavy rains would continue in the northern region for another 24 hours, and decrease after that. Government officials said crop plating was progressing well.

"Monsoon showers are good for all kharif (summer-sown) crops. It has raised the prospect of bumper harvest and we believe that production targets set for all kharif crops will be achieved," said B.S. Duggal, additional director with the Haryana farm department.

Joint director with the Punjab farm department, Gurdial Singh, said rains had helped but if crops remained submerged, they may be damaged.

Floods submerge about 7.4 million hectares every year in India. A weather department official said there was some risk of floods in India this year.

"Possibility of a largescale drought has already been ruled out, but probability of occurrence of floods cannot be ruled out in areas receiving excess rains," said the weather official.

Several parts of the Ambala and Kurukshetra districts in Haryana, about 160 kilometres (100 miles) north of Delhi were flooded, prompting civil authorities to officials to seek the help of the army for rescue.