Bhopal: Rain spells delay soyabean harvest, may affect quality of kharif crops

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Current rain spells will have an adverse impact on soyabean yield and its quality in the state. Farmers said that current rain is bad for soyabean while it is good for paddy.

“Excessive showers at the time of harvest may lead to an increase in moisture content and affect quality of crops. However, farmers manage it as they cover the harvested crops,” Soyabean Processors Association of India (SOPA) chairman Davish Jain said.

In Madhya Pradesh, the area under soyabean cultivation has decreased to 50 lakh hectares from 55 lakh hectares in the previous year.

The area shrunk as rainfall during the initial sowing period was poor and farmers moved to other crops. Kharif crop including soyabean is at harvest stage and rain will spoil the quality as seeds as they will absorb moisture. Soyabean, unlike urad (black gram) or maize, can tolerate water-logging for 2-3 days.

Farmer Kedar Sirohi said, “Current rainfall will damage soyabean crops. Heavy harvest machines cannot enter fields because of rain. It will delay harvest. Malwa, Nimar and Jabalpur are major soyabean belts.”

The Malwa region of western MP covers Dewas, Indore, Dhar, Ujjain, Jhabua, Ratlam, Mandasur, Neemuch, Shajapur and Rajgarh districts. Soyabean is cultivated in its black cotton soil.

Madhya Pradesh recorded 142% surplus rainfall from October 1 to October 7. As per meteorological department, some districts received scanty rainfall during this period. They are Anuppur (-13%), Balaghat(-71%), Chhindwara (-54%), Niwari (-48%), Seoni (-57%).

Bhind (-10%), Datia (67-%), Morena (-97%), Neemuch (-55%), Sheopur (-28%) and Shivpuri(-63%) are in eastern region.