Pin hopes on Ardra Nakshatra
Aurangabad, June 23:
In the last three years, there has been heavy rain in the district since the first day of Mrig Nakshatra. This year, however, farmers have become distraught due to lack of rain in a fortnight. With the beginning of Ardra Nakshatra, since June 22, expectations from farmers have increased. But Kharif sowing will only start after sufficient rainfall in the district.
The kharif area of Aurangabad district is 6.75 lakh hectares. Occasional showers fell in some circles in some tehsils of the district. In that circle, the farmers who have abundant water for irrigation, have started sowing. Till Wednesday, sowing was completed only on 42,000 hectares of land. Meanwhile, the Aurangabad district received only 81.1 mm of rainfall between June 7 and 23. Most of the farmers delayed their sowing waiting for heavy rainfall. Out of 9 tehsils in the district, Gangapur has received maximum rainfall of 103.7 mm in the last fortnight. However, the statistics show that the rainfall is less than last year.
Lowest of 54.4 mm in Sillod
Sillod tehsil of the district has the lowest rainfall of 54.4 mm as compared to other tehsils. Farmers in Sillod have become distraught due to scanty rains. Most of the farmers who have shifted from cotton to maize crop are from this tehsil. However, due to low rainfall, farmers could not sow kharif.
Wait until good rainfall
Kharif crops can be sown till July 7, so farmers should sow only after sufficient rainfall. The climate department has predicted good rainfall in next week, said PR Deshmukh, district agriculture officer, Zilla Parishad.