Delayed rains likely to hit sowing of kharif crops, advance preparations underway: Chouhan

New Delhi: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said there could be an adverse impact on sowing of kharif crops because of delayed monsoon with possibility of 315 districts receiving deficient rains.

The government has started advance preparations in view of the weaker monsoon.

Read more: India monsoon revives after two-week stall, heads into central belt

Addressing a press conference, Chouhan said 111 districts are identified as most vulnerable as they have less than 25 per cent irrigation. Of these, 20 districts are in Maharasthra alone.

“Monsoon has been delayed. There is 43 per cent deficient rains so far,” he said.

As per Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast, monsoon is likely to remain weak till the week ending July 2, he said.

Read more: Weak start to monsoon seen clouding Kharif season outlook: Report

So far, 10 per cent of the total kharif area has been covered. The total acreage of all kharif crops remains higher at 11.79 million hectare as on June 22, as against 11.3 million hectare in the year-ago period.