A deep depression was formed in the east-central Arabian Sea and was located at 08.30 hrs on October 8 at about 800 km southwest of Veraval in Gujarat. In the week ending October 7, monsoon was vigorous for some days in Konkan and Goa and Central Maharashtra.

It was active in coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. Rainfall also occurred at most places in Bihar plains, Gangetic West Bengal, Marathwada, Rayalseema, coastal Karnataka and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Rainfall occurred at many places in Gujarat region, Telangana and interior Karnataka and at a few places in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Vidarbha and Lakshadweep.During the period the cumulative rainfall was normal to excess in 22 out of 35 meteorological subdivisions of the country.

CROP SITUATION

RICE: The area covered under kharif rice so far is reported to be 35.54 million hectare as compared to 35.10 million hectare in the corresponding period in the previous year. So far 90.33 per cent of the total rice area of the country has been covered. Transplanting of paddy is reported to be in progress in southern states.

COARSE CEREALS: The major kharif coarse cereals include jowar, bajra, maize, ragi and small millets. The area coverage under kharif coarse cereals so far is reported to be 21.24 million hectare, slightly lower than 22.10 million hectare during the corresponding period in the previous year. Major decreases in area is in case of bajra in Rajasthan, where it is 11.03 lakh hectare less as compared to the previous year.

PULSES: The area coverage under pulses so far is reported to be 9.72 million hectare which is about 0.11million hectare higher than the coverage of 9.61 million hectare during the corresponding period in the previous year. Damage to crop due to heavy rains has been reported from Maharashtra.

OILSEEDS: The area coverage under kharif oilseeds so far is reported to be 15.98 million hectare which is about one million hectare higher than the coverage of 14.93 million hectare during the corresponding period in the previous year. The higher area coverage for kharif groundnut in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and for soyabean from the major producing states of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra has been reported.

COTTON: As per reports available so far, the area coverage under cotton is expected to be higher at 8.83 million hectare as compared to 8.22 million hectare during the corresponding period last year. The higher area coverage is reported by all the major cotton producing states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.

JUTE & MESTA: As per reports available, the area coverage under juteis now assessed at 7.5 lakh hectare as compared to 8.7 lakh hectare during the previous year. The condition of the standing crop is reported to be satisfactory. Sowing of Mesta is also complete and area covered is reported to be around 1.89 lakh hectare as compared to 1.99 lakh hectare during the corresponding period in the previous year.

SUGARCANE: The planting of sugarcane has been completed in north India. The planting of Adsali crop in southern states is in progress. According to the Directorate of Sugarcane Development, Lucknow, the area coverage under cane during the current year is about 40.89 lakh hectare as compared to 38.5 lakh hectare during the corresponding period in the previous year. This higher coverage is mainly on account of higher area coverage in UP and Maharashtra.

PESTS & CROP DISEASE-RICE: Trace to low incidence of commonly occurring pests/diseases of paddy including BPH, WBPH, GLH, hispa, stem borer, grasshopper, leaf folder. BLB, blast and sheath blight has beenreported from almost all the states. However, low to moderate incidence of BPH and WBPH in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, eastern part of UP, MP, Orissa and Punjab; Gallmidge in MP, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Assam; sheath blight in Assam, West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh has been noticed. Rice tungro virus (RTV) has attained moderate to severe intensity in Amritsar and Gurudaspur districts in Punjab. Three districts in Kerala, namely Alappuzha, Palakkad and Kottayam have been found severely infested with BPH.

GROUNDNUT CROP: The groundnut crop which is in vegetative to flowering stage has harboured spodoptera, white grub, termite, leaf webber and red hairy caterpillar in Karnataka, Rajasthan, UP and Andhra Pradesh. Moderate to severe incidence of red hairy caterpillar has been found in Chittor district of Andhra Pradesh affecting thereby one lakh hectare of cropped area. The state government has already brought 40,000 hectare area under plant protection coverage.

SOYABEANCROP: Soyabean crop is in flowering to pod formation stage. Low to moderate incidence of girdle beetle, green semilooper, spodoptera, hairy caterpillar and rust has affect crops in Betul district of MP. Leaf miner has affected crop in Orissa and hairy caterpillar in Maharashtra.COTTON: The growth of cotton crop is in square to boll formation to picking stage. Jassid, aphids, thrips, whitefly, heliothis, spotted bollworm and pink bollworm have been observed at trace to low level in all cotton growing states.

Incidence of heliothis is being registered above the economic threshold level in Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, MP and UP. Considerable population of natural enemies like crysoperla, coccinallids has also been recorded and, therefore, only need based application of pesticides are being undertaken.