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Maharashtra agriculture sector to grow 10.2% thanks to good monsoon: Economic Survey.
Mar 09, 2023

The Maharashtra Economic Survey 2022-23 has projected that the agriculture and allied sector, which is the mainstay of the state’s rural economy and engages 55 per cent of the population, will register 10.2 per cent growth in the outgoing fiscal year.

The projected growth is attributed to the good monsoon and the absence of drought for the past three years. The state recorded 119.8 per cent monsoon rain in 2022. Of the total 355 talukas (excluding those in Mumbai city & Mumbai suburban districts), 204 received excess rainfall, 145 got normal rains and only six received deficient rainfall.

As against the advanced estimate (2021-22) pegged at 4.4 per cent, followed by the first revised estimate of 11.4 per cent, the projected growth of 10.2 per cent seems a quantum leap.

The sowing for kharif season 2022-23 was completed on 157.97 lakh hectares, which was lower than last year’s 163.79 lakh hectares. The production of cereals, oilseeds, cotton and sugarcane is expected to increase by 10 per cent, 19 per cent, five per cent and four per cent respectively. But the overall production of pulses is estimated to sharply decrease by 37 per cent compared with the previous year.

The rabi crop sown on 57.74 lakh hectares shows a reverse trend for 2022-23. Though pulses production is expected to rise by 34 per cent, the production of cereals and oilseeds is likely to decrease by 13 per cent.

The increased area under sugarcane cultivation is a key contributor to the growth. The average area under sugarcane plantation, which was 12.32 lakh hectares, rose to 14.88 lakh hectares. The average area under sugar plantation in the state till four years ago stood at 9.89 lakh hectares. The rise in sugar plantation and production saw farmers turning to cash crops in larger numbers in drought-hit Marathwada.

Cotton, which is the mainstay of the backward regions of Vidarbha and Marathwada, also recorded an increase in both the area under plantation (42. 29 lakh hectares) and production (81.92 metric tonnes) in 2022-23.

According to the economic survey, the area under horticulture crops was 23.46 lakh hectares in 2022-23, as against 23.92 lakh hectares in 2021-22. As per the first advance estimates, the total area under fruit crops in 2022-23 is 8.32 lakh hectares, of which the area under mango cultivation is the highest (1.64 lakh hectares), followed by pomegranate (1.56 lakh hectares), grapes (1.19 lakh hectares), mandarin orange (1.20 lakh hectares), banana (0.91 lakh hectares) and mosambi (0.65 lakh hectares). As per the first advance estimates, the total area under vegetable cultivation is 2022-23 is 11.62 lakh hectares, of which onion is the highest (9.18 lakh hectares), followed by tomato (0.60 lakh hectares) and green chilly (0.33 lakh hectares).

Although the BJP-Shiv Sena government has pledged to promote millets, both the area under cultivation and production have dropped for the crops. Around 20 years ago, the area under millet cultivation was 72.30 lakh hectares and production was 53.16 lakh metric tonnes. In 2021-22, the area under these crops was 23.07 lakh hectares and production was 22.69 lakh metric tonnes.

Under the Maharashtra Millet Mission, innovative concepts like 'millet of the month' and 'shet tithe poushtik trundhanya' are being implemented to popularise millets.

The real challenge for the government will be to enhance the irrigation potential, especially in Vidarbha and Marathwada, to draw small and marginal farmers to millet farming. They account for up to 78 per cent of all farmers in the state.

The total area under irrigation in 2021-22 was 43.38 lakh hectares. The command area under major and minor irrigation projects was 33.19 lakh hectares, while that under minor irrigation projects was 10.19 lakh hectares.

As part of the drought-free Maharashtra mission and providing better infrastructure to farmers to access water, the government has undertaken Jalyukta Shivar Abhiyan 2.0. The project, undertaken between 2014 and 2019, has helped increase the irrigation potential.

The government plans to carry out soil and water conservation work in eligible villages where the first phase of the Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan as well as other development programmes were not implemented.

Bridging the gap between the availability and efficient use of water in villages will be part of the project for sustainable development and agriculture.

indianexpress.com

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