A week of ample and widespread rains in Rajasthan has injected momentum to the planting of guarseed in the state, farmers and traders in Jodhpur district said.
Good rains and forecasts of more rains in the coming two weeks have spawned optimism that this season?s production would certainly beat last year?s. And some farmers are forecasting a bumper crop.
In Rajasthan?s east such as some areas near Jaipur, the planting of guarseed is completed, farmers said.
And, it is underway at a blistering pace in Jodhpur, Barmer and Nagaur in the west and Bikaner and Churu in the north, a tour of villages, mandis, and markets and talking to farmers and traders in Jodhpur revealed.
Sowing in Rajasthan, India?s largest producer of guar seed, so far this year has been completed in 75-85% of the 2.69 million hectares target, according to estimates of traders and government agriculture department officials.
Last year, only 1.39 million hectare was planted with guar in Rajasthan although the target was 2.58 million. The department is confident that over 90% of area targeted for guarseed sowing in 2010 would be covered in the next 7-10 days.
Rajasthan produces 60-70% of India?s annual guarseed. The state?s main producing areas are in the west and north and include Jodhpur, Nagaur, Merta, Degana, Balotra, Bikaner and Churu. These together contributed 60% of the state?s total produce.
Another spell of good rainfall is necessary to sustain growth.
Guar is a rain-fed monsoon crop, which requires 8-15 inches of rain in 3-4 spells. It is sown immediately after the first showers, say in July and August, and harvested over October and November. ?Although this year we began sowing a bit late as rains only came to our area in the last week of July, we feel there is no need to worry if we get another spell of rains in the coming few days,? said Lala Ram, a guar farmer in Osian near Jodhpur.
