While the India Meteorological Department said February had the highest-ever mean temperature since 1901 in the central meteorological subdivision comprising States such as Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, it has come to light that the above-normal temperature has had little impact on rabi crops. The country should expect bumper harvest.

Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who reviewed the situation with officials of his Ministry in the weekly meeting over a video conference from Bhopal, was told that there is a possibility of “good yield” of various produce gown in the rabi season, sources said.

Chouhan, who reviewed the progress of the overall agriculture sector, directed officials to create such a system where farmers receive better prices. He said the intention of the officers should always be that farmers should get better prices for their crops, an official statement said.

Makhana board

Sowing of crops, procurement, prices, weather and reservoir situation were discussed at the meeting where Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi, Additional Secretary Pramod Mehrda and Agriculture Commissioner P K Singh among others were present.

As the formation of the Makhana Board was announced in the Budget, Chouhan asked officials to expedite the process of formation of the Board. Suggestions from the Makhana farmers should be sought so that their interests are protected. Recently, Chouhan himself held discussions with the concerned farmers inside the pond at a production site while visiting Bihar to oversee the event on PM-Kisan instalment disbursal.

The Minister was also told that the summer sowing (Zaid crop)has been continuing smoothly and it has reached 22.32 lakh hectares (lh) as of February 21 compared with 21.85 lh in the corresponding period of 2023-24. The area under paddy has increased to 19.49 lh from 18.2 lh while acreage of other crops is also around normal levels, the ministry said.

Pulses coverage down

But, data showed that pulses acreage, including both urad and moong, is down at 0.88 lh from 1.13 lh. Coarse cereals sowing of summer season too has reported lower at 1.08 lh from 1.25 lh which includes maize at 0.89 lh from 1.05 lh.

Sowing of onion and potato in major producing States for the Rabi season is higher than last year—onion at 10.29 lh (up by 1.66 lh) and potato at 19.82 lh (up by 0.31 lh). However, tomato acreage has seen a dip at 2.41 lh.