Vibha Sharma
New Delhi, July 25
The IMD has predicted an increase in rainfall activity over North India from July 27 onwards due to the northward shift of the Monsoon Trough. Officials are also expecting improvement in sowing of paddy in the backward parts due to deficient rains.
A Low-Pressure Area is persisting over South Pakistan and the adjoining Kutch mark will reduce during the next 24 hours. According to the Met Office, the Monsoon Trough, which is moving southwards from its normal position, is expected to gradually shift northwards from tomorrow, July 26, leading to an increase in activity over the north.
While excess rains wreaked havoc in many parts of the country, there were shortages in many areas as well. Less paddy acreage has been reported in many parts that due to lack of rain, the seedlings have become unsuitable for transplanting.
So far, Uttar Pradesh has received 53 percent, Jharkhand 49 percent, Bihar 45 percent, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura 24 percent and West Bengal 45 percent less rain.
While there has been good progress in kharif sowing, the area under paddy as per some private data is about 18 to 19 per cent behind last year.
Haryana is one of the major contributors of rice to the central pool.
However, officials say there is a “slight shortfall” in paddy coverage in the current kharif, mainly from eastern India, which will soon recover. In South India, the staple grain of the season has been planted over a significant area due to well-distributed rainfall and irrigated parts such as Punjab, Haryana and western UP are no cause for concern.
As per data for July-17, all India paddy sown was less by 128.50 lakh hectares as against 155.53 lakh hectares in the corresponding period last year.
Although the cumulative rainfall across the country is 11 per cent higher during the period June 1 to July 25, eastern and northeastern India is deficient by 15 per cent, which they say is the main reason behind the reduction in overall coverage.