Mumbai, July 13 (IANS) Widespread rainfall across Maharashtra during the first week of July has significantly accelerated Kharif sowing operations. By July 12, the state recorded sowing across 84.61 lakh hectares, accounting for 59 per cent of the average Kharif area. However, this progress lags behind the previous year, when 82 per cent of the sowing (1.18 crore hectares) was completed during the same period.  The agriculture department has cited the El Niño impact for low sowing compared to last year.A dry spell throughout June had left the state with a dismal 28 per cent sowing rate by the beginning of July. The subsequent revival of the monsoon in the first week of July provided much-needed relief, driving up cultivation numbers. While regions like Vidarbha and Marathwada have registered satisfactory progress, the Konkan, Pune, and Kolhapur divisions are currently lagging behind, said the state agriculture department sources.

According to the agriculture department data, the Amravati division in Vidarbha is leading the state's Kharif operations, having completed sowing across 81 per cent of its average area. Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar follows at 65 per cent, with Latur at 63 per cent, Nashik at 56 per cent, and Nagpur at 53 per cent. Rice transplantation in the Konkan region has faced setbacks due to early monsoon erraticism. Rice seedlings sown in the first week of June withered away after the rains vanished. Following the arrival of good spells in July, farmers had to re-sow the nurseries.Rafik Naikwadi, Director of the Agriculture Department, said the sowing percentage in Konkan will remain low until these new seedlings mature and become ready for transplantation. Crop plantation in the coastal region is expected to gain momentum only in the latter half of July.

Acknowledging the uneven distribution, Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharane urged farmers in lagging regions not to rush the process. While Vidarbha and Marathwada have seen satisfactory progress, Pune, Kolhapur, and Konkan are yet to reach expected sowing levels.The Minister advised farmers to wait for adequate and sustained rainfall before initiating sowing operations. He added that premature sowing during early, isolated showers puts crops at severe risk of failing if followed by extended dry spells. Farmers are being advised by the department to shift focus towards climate-resilient and low-water-consuming crops to mitigate the impact of dry spells, said the minister.To offset the damage caused by long gaps between two rain showers, Minister Bharane emphasised scaling up support for farm ponds. He directed the administrative machinery to make critical raw materials --particularly plastic lining sheets for farm ponds -- immediately available to farmers to maximise rainwater storage. "The administration is operating under directives to plan resource distribution, fodder availability, and drinking water management, keeping the upcoming seasons in view, treating prolonged dry spells as an immediate challenge," he noted.

In response to immense rural distress caused by inadequate rainfall and crop damage, the minister confirmed that the government is accelerating crop insurance evaluations (panchnamas) and finalising the logistics for major financial support initiatives, aiming to ease the severe credit crunch gripping dry-land farmers.Minister Bharane said the Agriculture Department has issued specific instructions to municipal and district officials to ensure adequate supplies of quality seeds and fertilisers are maintained so that farmers face no shortages when sustained rainfall finally permits late-stage sowing.

/IANS