Agriculture Current Affair 17 July 2020

Onion rotting worry Nashik farmers, but supply will not be affected

Farmers in parts of Nashik, known as onion hub of the State, have complained of onion rotting in storage facilities. However, traders said that the bulb crop was sufficiently available in the market and supply would not be affected.

Due to late sowing, farmers harvested the crop in April and May and stored it in Kanda chawls (storages) hoping to get a good rate. Many farmers bring out onions in the market during Diwali season. However, according to farmers, heavy rainfall and relatively high levels of humidity has acted as a spoiler for the staple crop.

Gujarat sees 35% of season’s average rainfall till mid-July

The southwest monsoon has already covered Gujarat with about 35 per cent of the season’s average rainfall till July 17, but most regions received only scanty rains.

The rain distribution has been uneven, with Kutch and Saurashtra receiving 60-80 per cent of their season’s average rainfall, whereas the rest of Gujarat has received roughly about 22 per cent of the season’s average.

The State Emergency Operation Centre has recorded a total of 293.52 mm rainfall till Friday, which is 35.32 per cent of the long-period average of 831 mm.

Cotton sowing crosses 50 lakh acres in Telangana

With the State recording copious monsoon rains, farmers in Telangana have completed cotton sowing on over 50 lakh acres.

The State targeted an area of 60 lakh acres to be under cotton this kharif season as it began the regulated cropping system.

As sowings are in full swing, farmers and officials of the Agriculture Department are confident that the remaining 10 lakh acres would be covered in the next few weeks.