Kharif crops: PPCBL begins disbursement of loans

The Punjab Provincial Co-operative Bank has started disbursement of Rs 2.5 billion agriculture loans for sowing, growing and maturing of Kharif crops 2014 including cotton, rice, sugarcane, maize, vegetables, fodder and fruits orchards.

Source: Business Recorder

Kharif season: fertiliser makers not in favour of urea import

Domestic chemical makers don't seem to be in favour of giant import of carbamide for Kharif season as they believe that spare stocks are obtainable for the approaching crop season. The Ministry of Industries & Production within the last meeting of the chemical Review Committee (FRC) had determined to import zero.125 million tons for Kharif season and therefore the chemical business supported the choice.

This acquisition are created against a $50 million loan facility recently approved by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) specifically for the acquisition of carbamide fertilizer.

As per estimates of chemical makers of West Pakistan consultive Council (FMPAC) - a representative body of native fertilizer makers - around three.01 million heaps of carbamide stocks, as well as domestic production and carryover stocks from Rabi season, are obtainable within the country for the approaching crop season against a most demand of two.8 to 2.9 million tons.

The country would have some zero.370 million heaps of carbamide stock at begin|the beginning} of Kharif season that may start from Gregorian calendar month one, 2014. calculable production from domestic fertilizer plants throughout the Kharif season can stay a pair of.64 million tons (with gas offer on SNGPL in line with the last year) which means there would be around three.01 million heaps of carbamide obtainable within the country against a requirement of two.8 to 2.9 million tons. As a result, the carryover stock at the tip of Kharif 2014 is probably going to be zero.21 to 0.110 million tons, a political candidate of FMPAC aforesaid.

He aforesaid recent demand of two.9 million tons continues to be more than needs reported  by provinces. "Fertiliser plants will manufacture the specified and spare carbamide for domestic consumption by guaranteeing the required gas offer. The domestic production won't need precious interchange and billions of rupees grant, being spent on import on carbamide," he added.

The business sources aforesaid the govt call to import carbamide and distribute it through National chemical selling restricted (NFML) has additionally been politically motivated  within the past so this observe ought to be discourage by the PML-N government. The centralized is already considering shifting the foreign carbamide distribution from NFML to non-public sector so as to confirm clear and timely distribution of foreign carbamide, they added.

Sources aforesaid some quarters ar proposing an enormous import of zero.7 million heaps of carbamide import for Kharif season. However, they believed that the planned conceive to import zero.7 million heaps of carbamide is contrary to the fact on ground and therefore the call can drain around $266 million from the funds, that is already facing a crisis of depleting forex reserves.

According to sources, this estimate of foreign carbamide has been calculated at a median $380 per ton price and Fright (C&F). On this basis, the landed price involves Rs a pair of,900 per fifty kilo bag as well as port incidentals and native freight, etc. To sell this foreign carbamide at a fix value of Rs one,786 per bag, the govt would ought to offer a further grant of roughly Rs sixteen billion on zero.7 million tons foreign carbamide.

Domestic fertilizer makers urged the govt to require any call on carbamide import whereas keeping in sight this stock handiness position. carbamide is foreign to supply profit to farmers, however in point of fact, farmers don't get any advantage of foreign carbamide and later grant by the funds, they added. Despite the country's current carbamide production capability of six.9 million tons, that is world's seventh largest, West Pakistan spent over $1.5 billion on carbamide import in last three years and additionally paid a grant of over Rs sixty billion on foreign carbamide.

^{Source: Business Recorder}

Kharif Crops List

The crops that are sown in the rainy season are called kharif crops. (also known as the summer or monsoon crop) in India. Kharif crops are usually sown with the beginning of the first rains in July, during the south-west monsoon season. The main monsoon season in Pakistan and India runs from June to September.

 Paddy (Oryza sativa, L)

 Guar (F) (Cymopsis tetragonaloba, Taub)

 Castor (Ricinus communis)

 Nagali (Eleusine coracana, G)

 Hy Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum, L)

 Chilly (Capsicum frutescens, L)

 Cotton (Gossypium herbaceum, L)

 Jowar (Sorghum vulgare, Pers)

 Sesamum (Sesamum orientale)

 Soyabean (Glycine hispida, Merr)

 Maize (Zea mays, L)

 Urid (Vigna mungo, L)

 Bajri (Pennisetum typhoideum, L)

 Arhar (Cajanus cajan, Milsp)

Ground Nut (Arachis hypogaea, L)

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare, Miller)

Rabi and Kharif Crops

Rabi crops or Rabi harvest (Hindi: रबी, Urdu: رَبِیع, Punjabi: ਰੱਬੀ) refers to agricultural crops sown in winter and harvested in the summer season. The term is derived from the Arabic word for "spring", which is used in the Indian subcontinent. The Rabi crop (Hindi: रबी, Urdu: ربي) is the spring harvest (also known as the "winter crop") in Indian subcontinent.

The term Rabi means "spring" in Arabic, and the rabi crops are grown between the months mid November to April.

The water that has percolated in the ground during the rains is main source of water for these crops. Rabi crops require irrigation.

So a good or bountiful rain may tend to spoil the Kharif crops but it is good for Rabi crops.

These crops are taken after the departure of monsoon rains. The seeds are sown after the rains have gone and harvesting begins in April/May.

Major Rabi crop is wheat in India followed by barley, mustard, sesame and peas. (They are harvested early as they are ready early). So Indian Markets are flooded with Green Peas from January to March (Peak is Feb.)

The rabi season starts with the onset of north-east monsoon in October. Many crops are cultivated in both kharif and rabi seasons. The agriculture crops produced in India are seasonal in nature and highly dependent on these two monsoons.

 Examples of Rabi Crops: Wheat, Gram Pea, Mustard, Linseed, Barley, Peas

The Kharif crops (Hindi: ख़रीफ़, Urdu: خريف) is the autumn harvest ; but better know as the monsoon crops in Indian sub continent(India, Pakistan Srilanka, Nepal).

Kharif crops are usually sown with the beginning of the first rains towards the end of May in the state of Kerala during the advent of south-west monsoon season.

As the Monsoon rains advance towards the north India the sowing dates are accordingly vary and and it is done in July in North Indian states .

These crops are totally dependent on the quantity rain water as well its timing .
Too much , too less or at wrong time may lay waste the whole year's efforts .

Since this period coincides with the beginning of Autumn / winter in the Indian sub-continent It is called " Kharif period " and the crops are "Kharif crops" The term Kharif means "autumn" in Arabic.

The list of some Kharif crops:

Bajra and Jowar,Paddy or Rice,Maize ,Moong and other pulses ,Groundnut , Chillies ( they are now round the year ) Cotton, Soyabean , Sugarcane and Turmeric .

Early Kharif season and Water Shortage

ابتدائی خریف موسم پانی کی کمی کا شکار

The Indus River System Authority (Irsa) on Friday projected a six per cent water shortage in early Kharif season and advised provinces to delay cultivation by two weeks till ice starts melting. However, there will be no water shortage in middle and late Kharif season as the country will have 10 MAF more water than the previous year.

This is the crux of a meeting of Irsa Advisory committee which met under Chairman of Irsa Asjad Imtiaz Ali to decide the availability and distribution of water for provinces during the upcoming Kharif season. Major Kharif crops are cotton, sugarcane and rice. The committee noted that the country would lose 25 per cent of total water available during because of system losses.

Irsa observed that 110 Million Acre Feet (MAF) water would be available for Kharif season, of which 23 MAF water would be lost. The committee said that in Jehlum and Chenab zones, the loss will be 10 per cent in the early Kharif season and 15 per cent in late kharif season. In the Indus zone, the water loss would be as much as 40 per cent, it noted.

It said that 67.25 MAF water would be available in canals for provinces. The body observed that the country would face 6 per cent water shortage in the early Kharif season. The committee decided that provinces would be given water according to their needs as the country would have more water than the previous season. "However, if the country faces water shortages, provinces would be taken on board to share it," the committee said. The country would have a carryover stock 11.5 MAF of water.

Later, Irsa's spokesperson Khalid Idrees Rana said that 10 MAF water would be released in Kotri downstream. He said that Punjab would get 33.6 MAF water and Sindh 30.25 MAF water for Kharif crops. "Balochistan will get 2.6 MAF whereas Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 0.8 MAF water for Kharif crops," he said. He maintained that 1.2 MAF carryover water stock was available in reservoirs. He said that major reservoirs, including Tarbela and Mangla, would be filled in August at 1,550 and 1,242 feet levels, respectively. Official said that there would be no water shortage in upcoming Kharif season starting from April 1 till September end. 

Source: http://www.brecorder.com/

Paddy farmers a confused lot

Farmers in the district who have raised paddy nurseries in anticipation of good harvest in rabi season, are in confused as to go ahead with transplantation of the seedlings from nurseries to the main fields or drop the cultivation at nursery-stage itself to minimise the losses.

Reason for it is the continuing poor monsoon coupled with insufficient release of water from reservoirs for irrigation.

Already, it has been a poor season for paddy in the district this year with acreage under the crop been almost nil in the just-ended kharif season.

According to official statistics, paddy nurseries have come up on 110 acres to produce the seedlings required for 1,300 hectares of paddy cultivation during the just-commenced rabi season.

K.C.M. Balasubrmaniam, a progressive farmer and a former agriculture economist of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, told The Hindu that in the present drought-like situation, it would be ‘technically’ unwise to go for transplantation to main cultivable areas as preparatory works in the main field itself requires lot of water.

“But with paddy is seen as a major grain crop, the district administration could try out a solution to ensure transplantation by going for micro-level interventions.

“Accordingly, the farmers who are struggling the most for the water need to be identified and then provide them with at least six hours of uninterrupted power supply daily for almost two months as ‘emergency cases’ to enable them draw groundwater for irrigation,” he said.

Considering the seriousness of the situation and protect the paddy acreage, the department of agriculture is planning to enthuse the farmers to go for a ‘modified’ implementation of System of Rice Intensification (SRI) technique so that whatever water available through canal irrigation could be judiciously used.

“Use of SRI methodology has advantages as it requires ‘reduced height of standing water’ when compared to traditional cultivation practices,” Joint Director of Agriculture M.K. Sherif said.

This apart, the department will also be distributing power weeders at subsidised rates to remove weeds for ensuring better root growth and power sprayers to help farmers fight pest attacks.