Maharashtra: 87 percent of Kharif season sowing completed

Maharashtra: 87% of Kharif Season Sowing Completed, Rapid Progress in Cotton, Soybean, Pigeon Pea, and Rice Planting In Maharashtra, 87% of the sowing for the Kharif season has been completed. State Agriculture Commissioner Sunil Chavan stated on Thursday that during the season, fertilizers and seeds are fully available for the farmers. According to the government statement citing Chavan, the total land area for sowing during the Kharif season is 142 lakh hectares, with a coverage of 123.78 lakh hectares.

He also mentioned that the state received 570.50 millimetres of rainfall between June 1 and July 31, which is 106% of the average rainfall of 538.50 millimetres. The Agriculture Commissioner stated, "There has been rapid progress, especially in the sowing of cotton, soybean, pigeon pea, and rice in the state. By July 31, soybean has been sown in 46.72 lakh hectares, cotton in 40.84 lakh hectares, pigeon pea in 10.21 lakh hectares, and rice in 9.33 lakh hectares."

The statement further highlighted that for the Kharif season of 2023, 21.78 lakh kilograms of seeds are available compared to the demand of 19.21 lakh kilograms. Additionally, a supply of 43.13 lakh metric tons of fertilizer will be made available during the season.