Pune may not see rain till June 19: IMD

14/6/2018

PUNE: The rains have completely petered out in the city after the 0.6mm rainfall on June 11. Now, the India Meteorogical Department (IMD) does not see the possibility of any rain till June 19.

"There has been a weakening of the monsoon circulation pattern," a Met official said. "Rainfall activity is very likely to reduce over interior parts of the south peninsula, central and eastern parts of India. However, the enhanced rainfall activity over north-eastern states is likely to continue."

The IMD said the monsoon last advanced on June 12. The cloudy skies and scattered rainfall since the monsoon's official arrival have been particularly hard on the farming community in the state. Most farmers have stalled kharif sowing operations. The state agriculture department too has instructed farmers to commence sowing only once it begins raining normally. State farmers stop sowing, will resume process after it rains

Those farmers who had already begun kharif sowing operations in the state, based on earlier weather forecasts and sky conditions, now fear the loss of seeds. Amit Naphade, director of MAHA Farmers’ Producer Company Limited (MAHAFPC), said certain parts of Vidarbha - where the southwest monsoon had officially arrived - are still to receive proper showers this year.

“There are chances that the kharif seeds that have already been sown may rot . The clouds have disappeared and we have been having sunny skies over the past few days now,” Naphade said. “We have been noticing sudden breaks in the monsoon over the past four to five years. This time too, though we were hoping for significant showers once the monsoon entered Maharashtra, the rains have just stopped,” said an official of the state department.

Sanjay Pawar, a farmer from Nashik, said he, like others, has stopped sowing because of lack of moisture in the fields. “Normally, the southwest monsoon covers the entire state by June 10. Usually, it starts raining in Nashik by this time. However, this year, we are still waiting for the rains. Even if it rains properly for two-to three days, kharif seed sowing operations can be started in the state,” Pawar told pune-news.com.

Mahesh Shelke, director of Farmers’ Producer Company in Narayangaon, Junnar, which has about 3,000 farmers under its wing, said sowing has been stopped. “In places like Ahmednagar, Solapur and some parts of Pune, the sown seeds face the risk of rotting. Seeds need water. In the absence of water, soil bacteria can decompose the seeds,” Shelke added.

Skymet Weather Services, a private weather forecaster, said the weather over Mumbai and Pune is expected to remain dry and warm over the next few days, though isolated light rains cannot be completely ruled out.