Gandhinagar, July 4:
After a two-week gap, widespread monsoon rains have returned to Gujarat
in the last two days, prompting farmers to resume sowing work across
many parts of the western State, reports reaching the capital said on
Thursday.
With the early onset of the monsoon season, Gujarat received nearly 20
per cent of its annual rainfall in the first two weeks of June.
Sowing of major cash crops such as groundnut and cotton had commenced
across the State. By the end of the second week in June, cotton was sown
over nearly 1,200 hectares and groundnut over 500 hectares. Fresh
rainfall has increased the sowing area to nearly 4,000 hectares in
cotton and 1,500 acres in groundnut, preliminary reports added.
Paddy cultivation has also commenced in the Charotar areas of central
Gujarat, which have received widespread rains in the last two days.
Last year groundnut and cotton was sown in 14,500 and 27,000 hectares respectively.
Water levels in the Saurashtra region, which until May-end stared at a
possible drought and an acute drinking water crisis, have risen
considerably due to rains in different districts of the Kathiawad and
Kutch coastal areas. Irrigation officials said water storage in nearly
150 dams had increased by 200 million cubic metres due to the incessant
rains, bringing cheer to farmers.
Besides, rainfall has filled up 23 dams in North Gujarat to 30 per cent
of their capacity, thus easing drinking water availability.
Source: http://to.ly/mfbD
