September 11, 2009
Indian officials go to drought areas to make winter crop plan
India's Agriculture Ministry will send a team of experts to drought-hit areas to help increase the area under the upcoming winter crop and improve productivity, a government statement said Thursday (September 10).
Wheat is the main winter crop, sowing of which starts in October-November.
A dry spell during June and July has damaged crops such as rice, oilseeds and pulses, but the federal government is hoping late summer rains from mid-August will help improve the area and output of winter crops.
As of Sept. 9, India's 12 states including Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh have declared drought in a total of 299 districts due to scant rainfall.
India's annual rains during the June 1-Sept. 9 period were 20 percent below the 50-year average.
According to the statement, large areas in the drought-hit districts have remained unsown in the summer season and there is possibility of early winter sowing. This would bring in more area under winter crop and will boost productivity, it said.
The officials will monitor the implementation of the winter plans in the districts until the sowing is over at the end of November. They will also submit report on the present crop condition in the state, the statement said.
