The ongoing harvesting in Amreli district is pointing out at a drop of 30% in the yield of cotton and groundnut. Six of its 10 taluks (sub-division) have received less than 40% rainfall.
Gujarat: The yield estimates in Amreli, Saurashtra are likely to be a disappointment to the farmers of Gujarat, the largest cotton and groundnut producing state in India. Even Surendranagar has seen a drop in acreage due to water crisis.
The ongoing harvesting in Amreli district is pointing to a drop of 30% in the yield of cotton and groundnut. The yield is the lowest when compared to the seven-year average production in the Saurashtra region. Six of its 10 taluks (sub-division) have received less than 40% rainfall.
Amreli collector Aayush Oak, speaking to The Indian Express said that in parts, the yield has been good, but the overall result in the district is 33% less when compared to the average yield of seven years. It is the result of deficit rainfall and also shortage of irrigation water.
The crops are being cut in Amreli district for two weeks now and will be continued for three more weeks.
The crop cutting experiment is being undertaken by representatives of insurance companies, district panchayat along with farmers. The exercise is being supervised by the revenue officers to fix insurance claims.
Farmers in Amreli have sown cotton in 4.02 lakh hectare (lh) out of the total 5.55 lh sown in the district. Coastal Rajula and Jafrabad taluks of Amreli were flooded in July this year. Whereas Amreli as a district received 77% of its long-term average rainfall.
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