Gujarat’s kharif sowing has proved more resilient than the monsoon, according to The Hindu Business Line. Even as the state faces a 33 per cent rainfall deficit and large parts of Saurashtra and north Gujarat reel under deficient rains, farmers have sown 50.83 lakh hectares—about 60 per cent of the three-year average—with cotton, groundnut and paddy acreage still trailing last year.
Rainfall Deficit Across Districts
Data released by the state government shows that while rainfall has been uneven across the state, farmers have continued sowing in anticipation of improved monsoon activity in the coming weeks. Eight districts – Kutch, Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Dahod, Morbi, Jamnagar, Devbhoomi Dwarka and Porbandar – are facing “large deficient” rainfall, recording a shortfall of 60-99 per cent. Devbhoomi Dwarka has received the least rainfall so far, with a deficit of 96 per cent, followed by Kutch (87 per cent) and Jamnagar (72 per cent). Another 14 districts, including Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Rajkot, Surendranagar, Patan, Mehsana, Vadodara, Bharuch and Anand, are reporting deficient rainfall in the range of 20-59 per cent, underscoring the widespread nature of the weak monsoon across the state.
Crop-Wise Acreage Trends
The rainfall deficit has begun to show up in the cropping pattern, with several water-intensive and commercially important crops witnessing lower acreage compared to the corresponding period last year. Among Gujarat’s principal kharif crops:
- Cotton has been sown over 18.75 lakh hectares, about 4.3 per cent lower than last year.
- Groundnut, another key cash crop, has recorded a sharper decline, with acreage falling nearly 15 per cent y-o-y to 16.48 lakh hectares.
- Paddy has seen the steepest drop among major crops, with sowing covering only 2.25 lakh hectares, around 34 per cent lower than the corresponding period last year. The lower acreage reflects the crop’s higher dependence on adequate rainfall and water availability during the early part of the season.
Some crops, however, have bucked the trend:
- Soybean acreage has increased by about 10.5 per cent to 2.48 lakh hectares.
- Tur (pigeon pea) has been sown over 1.36 lakh hectares, up nearly 17 per cent from last year.
- Urad (black gram) acreage has risen 25 per cent to around 48,900 hectares.
| Crop | Acreage (lakh ha) | Change vs last year |
|---|---|---|
| Cotton | 18.75 | -4.3% |
| Groundnut | 16.48 | -15% |
| Paddy | 2.25 | -34% |
| Soybean | 2.48 | +10.5% |
| Tur | 1.36 | +17% |
| Urad | 0.489 | +25% |
Despite the patchy rains, farmers have completed sowing over 50 lakh hectares against the normal three-year average of 85.3 lakh hectares. However, the pace remains below last year’s level when 58.38 lakh hectares had been covered by the same date.
Implications for Commodity Markets
For commodity traders and agribusiness analysts, the data signals potential supply tightness for groundnut and cotton in Gujarat, a major producing state. The sharp drop in paddy area could impact rice output, though the state’s overall contribution is smaller. Conversely, higher acreage for soybean and pulses may boost domestic availability of oilseeds and protein-rich commodities. The 8 districts with large deficient rainfall and 14 districts with deficient rainfall will be closely watched for subsequent monsoon revival. Delayed rains could further constrain final yields, while adequate rainfall in August could mitigate some losses. The state government's continued monitoring and any potential relief measures will influence sowing completion by the end of the kharif season.
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