Pune: With the continuous heavy rainfall across Maharashtra, sowing for all Kharif crops except paddy has been completed.

According to the Agriculture Department, the remaining 1 million hectares of paddy transplantation will be completed within the next fortnight.

As of July 25, 94 per cent of the state's average Kharif area has been sown, covering 13.4 million hectares. The Pune division has achieved an impressive 128 per cent sowing rate.

In other regions, the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division has completed 97 per cent of its sowing, Latur 98 per cent, Amravati 96 per cent, Nashik 92 per cent, and Kolhapur division 94 per cent.

The Konkan (67 per cent) and Nagpur (72 per cent) divisions are slightly behind, with paddy transplantation still in progress due to the heavy rainfall facilitating the process.

Robust Monsoon Boosts Sowing Efforts

The state typically receives an average of 1075 millimeters of rainfall from June 1 to October 31. This year, the monsoon has been particularly strong, delivering 52 per cent of the annual average rainfall in just 52 days. June recorded 221 millimeters (107 per cent) and July 398 millimeters (120 per cent) of rainfall.

The timely and ample rainfall has prevented any delays in sowing across the state. Over 315 revenue circles have received more than 65 millimeters of rainfall, and 313 talukas have recorded over 100 per cent of their expected rainfall.

The favorable weather conditions have resulted in a total Kharif sowing area reaching 112 per cent of last year's figures, covering 13.4 million hectares. The main Kharif crops in the state are cotton, soybean, pigeon pea, and maize.