By Bl New Delhi
Copyright thehindubusinessline
As high as 75 per cent of the bajra crop in Rajasthan, the top producer of the nutri-cereal in India, may have been damaged due to heavy rain, said State’s Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena. However, a clarity on the situation will be available after the on-going survey is completed by September 20, he said, adding that soyabean, guar and maize have also been impacted.
On the other hand, a senior official of the Union Agriculture Ministry said the production of foodgrains —rice, pulses and coarse cereals —in this kharif is unlikely to be lower that 2024 season. He said although there is loss in some States, the yield will be higher in remaining areas, particularly where acreage is higher and rainfall distribution is good.
Meena said the State had first asked farmers to report about damage to the crops on the designated portal, but later rolled out a physical verification which was extended by a fortnight from earlier deadline of September 7. Once the survey is completed, the State government would decide about further relief and compensation, including claims under crop insurance.
Action against fake seeds
He said farmers who could not re-sow the crop after the first one could not be germinated or those whose crops were destroyed after germination will be paid 25 per cent of the crop insurance premium by the insurance companies till claims are finalised.
The minister also said that after the expose of fake fertilisers and pesticides, the next action will be against fake seeds. He said he has already gathered information about such seeds and how companies are buying crops from mandis and passing on those as seeds after packing in small retail packs.
The bajra area in Rajasthan was 43.15 lakh hectare (lh) as of September 9, down from 43.25 lh a year-ago, guar acreage was 24.51 lh against 27.21 lh, maize was 9.85 lh against 9.70 lh and soyabean 9.83 lh against 10.79 lh.
The Union Agriculture Ministry official, on the other hand, said the Centre is assessing the damage due to floods and heavy rain, and States are yet to send their reports. The government is taking help of satellite imagery to ascertain the extent of damage, which is effective in case of paddy, compared to other crops, he said.
Last year, the country produced 168.07 million tonnes (mt) of foodgrains, including 121.85 mt of rice, 7.5 mt of pulses and 38.72 mt of nutri/coarse cereals in the kharif season. In 2025 kharif, the target is to produce 168.88 mt of foodgrains – 120.75 mt rice, 7.74 mt pulses and 40.39 mt of nutri/coarse cereals.
The total kharif acreage in 2025 has reached 1110.80 lh as of September 12, up by 1.36 per cent from 1095.88 lh. The increase was over 5 per cent until first week of August and the gap (lead over year-ago period) has been narrowing every week. However, maize area has shown substantial increase (13 per cent) when compared with other crops. Paddy area which used to be 11-12 per cent higher 6 weeks back has reduced to a lead of less than 2 per cent now.
Published on September 15, 2025
