Nagpur division: Deficit rain hits sowing of paddy

Nagpur division consists of six districts, Wardha, Nagpur, Chandrapur, Bhandara, Gondia and Gadchiroli. Together, they grow paddy on 8 lakh hectares, which constitutes about 40 percent of the total sown area of the division. “Of them, only Wardha, which has small paddy area has had enough rains for transplantation. Rest of the districts have received only 60 per cent rain. The most affected of them vis-à-vis paddy are Bhandara and Gondia. After that it is Chandrapur, Gadchiroli and Nagpur which are affected,” Ghawate said.

The other crops in the division are cotton, soyabean and pulses. “For them, the rainfall is reasonably good and these crops are in good condition,” he added. Ghawate, however said, “The meteorological department has forecast that there will be good rain over the next 2-3 days. If the prediction comes true, then the transplantation work should move forward.”

In Amravati division, consisting of Amravati, Yavatmal, Washim, Akola and Buldana districts, sowing has been completed on about 95 per cent area.

Reports, however, have it that the division has also received only about 60 per cent of the normal rainfall, bringing the standing crop mainly cotton, soyabean and pulses under severe stress.

The situation is particularly serious in parts of the division adjoining Marathwada.