Winter rain 64% deficient
‘Large’ shortfall may add to farm distress across states
NEWDELHI: India has received only a third of its normal winter rainfall during January and February, the lowest in five years, leading to water shortage in many states that could increase their cost of production, hamper productivity, and have implications for residual moisture for the early summer sowing cycle. The shortfall comes at a time of agrarian distress, frequent farmer protests, and a government effort to address structural issues in agriculture.
Between January 1 and February 21, rainfall in the country as a whole was 64% deficient, data from the India Meteorological Department shows. This translates to a “large deficiency” in meteorological terms.
Last year, rains in these two main winter months were 5% surplus. In the northwest, Rajasthan had the highest shortfall at -97%, followed by UP at -81%. In central India, Odisha’s shortfall was -99%. Daman and Diu has had no rains, with -100% deficiency.
Winter rains are mostly the result of western disturbances — moisture-laden winds originating in the Mediterranean region — which have been very weak, a Met official said. States such as Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have been hit by water shortage. The worst impact of patchy winter rains has been on the Narmada basin, which lies in Madhya Pradesh. On February 15, the Gujarat government was forced to shut down irrigation in four districts that are supplied by the Sardar Sarovar dam on the Narmada river to give priority to drinking water.
Levels in the Sardar Sarovar reservoir have dropped 45%, the sharpest fall in 15 years, because of low reserves in the Narmada river basin. Farmers in Surendranagar, Ahmedabad, Botad and Bhavnagar districts will not be given water for irrigation until the situation improved, according to a recent state government notice.