Kharif acreage in Gujarat rose marginally to 73.61 lakh hectare this week compared to 72.28 lakh hectare in the previous week, according to state agriculture department data. The recent spell of rains has come in the nick of time or else the state would have faced a severe damage to crops this kharif season. According to the report, the total acreage of the state stands at 73.61 lakh hectare, which is almost 86 per cent of the seasonal average of 85.65 lakh hectare. Cotton, the main crop of the state, is sown over 26.90 lakh hectare, which is more than its average of 26.58 lakh hectare. This was followed by groundnut (14.66 lakh hectare), fodder (8.33 lakh hectare), paddy (7.56 lakh hectare) and maize (3.1 lakh hectare). However, the sowing is significantly lower than almost 80 lakh hectare witnessed during the corresponding period in the previous year. This year, the acreage has been adversely affected by the delayed onset of Monsoon, floods in many parts of the state and then a large gap between two spells of rains. This had delayed the sowing. After that, there are reports of damage to the sowing of cotton in Saurashtra and groundnut crop in north Gujarat because of scarcity of water. Moreover, sowing of groundnut was also infected by 'dor' insects, which eats away the roots of the crop. "The latest spell is very crucial for sowing. Crops will be able to survive. Wherever there were fears of damage to crops, it would be limited, however not totally done away with," said Jayesh Patel, president of Gujarat Khedut Samaj.

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