Rajasthan recorded the highest rainfall in June 2023 in 123 years. The state received a total rainfall of 156.9 mm in June, 185 per cent more than the average, with the highest rainfall recorded since 1901. In 1996, the maximum rainfall recorded in June was 122.8 mm.
Due to the impact of the very severe cyclonic storm “Biparjoy”, heavy rain and thundershowers occurred in the southern parts of the state — Jalore, Pali, Barmer, Rajsamand Sirohi and Ajmer districts — from June 16–20
And here we are, in September 2023, witnessing a drastic crop loss due to “insufficient rainfall” especially in the month of August. The sheer volatility in farming is forcing farmers in Southern Rajasthan to move out of farming and opt for jobs either in the limestone mines around the region or to shift to Pune, Hyderabad and Chennai to work for anything that ensures a predictable salaried income.
In the financial year 2022, about 19 kilograms per year of pulses was available per capita in India. There was a consistent decrease in the amount of pulses available over the years from 2017. Nonetheless, this variety of food grain accounted for the least in terms of availability when compared to rice, wheat and other cereals. This poses a serious threat to meeting the daily requirement of pulses which stands at 60 g per capita as pulses are the chief source of protein in the human diet.
Clearly, this is going to lead to an inevitable increase in imports, decreasing the prices of domestic pulses and again will push Indian Farmers further away from growing this green gold.
What is needed, I feel is to increase R&D towards developing resilient crop varieties — both for waterlogging as well as drought. We at BharatRohan®- Revitalizing Agriculture will be glad to assist organisations with our Drone-based data for Hybrid Evaluation Trials (HETs) through our SeedAssure® Offering.
Source: Jaipur Meteorological Department
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