PUNE: Though Pune has received higher rainfall than normal this year, it is lesser as compared to last year, which has impacted the sowing of Kharif crops this season in Pune district.

This June, Pune recorded 148 mm of rainfall, which is markedly lesser than last year’s 207.8 mm rainfall. According to District Collector Naval Kishore Ram, farmers have to wait for the monsoon to begin their sowing season. 

“Last year, in June, nearly 40 per cent of sowing was completed, while this year, the figure is just 22 per cent. We have to hope for a good monsoon in July,” added Ram.

As per information given by the district administration, sowing has been affected for crops like rice, jawar, bajra, corn and pulses. Of the 2.30 lakh hectares of agricultural land available in the district for Kharif crop (excluding sugarcane), sowing in 51,000 hectare has been completed so far. 

According to the Water Resources Department, the water storage in Pune’s dams was 23.34 per cent on Thursday and the storage level last year on the same day stood at 23.63 per cent. District administration officials said that the soyabean crop has been sown at a good rate, but expressed concerns about the sowing of rice. Soyabean is sown in Bhor, Junnar, Ambegaon and Khed. Sowing of corn is currently at 33 per cent, while that of bajra is only 14 per cent. Bajra is grown in Shirur, Daund, Indapur, Baramati, Purandar, Khed, Ambegaon and Junnar.