Pune: Rabi sowing across the division has entered its final stretch, with 99% of the targeted area already covered, agriculture department officials confirmed on Friday. Favourable weather conditions and adequate soil moisture have allowed farmers to make steady progress, despite initial setbacks caused by a delayed monsoon withdrawal and a prolonged kharif harvest.According to official data, rabi crops have been sown on 10.66 lakh hectares out of the targeted 10.80 lakh hectares across the division comprising Pune, Ahilyanagar, and Solapur districts. The remaining 1% represents pockets where kharif harvesting extended longer than usual, delaying the transition to the next season. “This season is crucial for farmers who faced extreme conditions during the monsoon,” said Jitendra Bidwai, an agriculture activist from Junnar. “Hundreds of acres of kharif crops were lost to flooding and excessive rainfall. A successful rabi harvest will provide much-needed financial relief.” The health of the standing crops remains satisfactory across the region. A senior agriculture official told TOI that jowar is currently in the flowering to grain-filling stages, while wheat has reached the tillering and early ear emergence phases. Gram crops are progressing from flowering to pod formation, and mustard and safflower are showing healthy vegetative growth. “The current conditions are very encouraging. Stable temperatures and sufficient moisture have supported robust crop establishment. If the weather remains consistent, we expect a high-yield season,” the official added. Solapur has shown exceptional progress, with sowing reaching 105% of its initial target in several areas. While excess rainfall during the kharif season remains a concern for overall soil productivity, the current jowar and safflower crops are healthy and moving toward maturity.Pune district has achieved approximately 97% of its target, covering 1.89 lakh hectares against a goal of 1.95 lakh hectares, aided by conducive climatic conditions. In Ahilyanagar, sowing is nearly complete at 97%, with 4.79 lakh hectares covered out of a targeted 4.94 lakh hectares. Maize and gram crops in this region are reported to be in excellent condition. While the overall outlook is positive, officials are closely monitoring Solapur for any lingering impacts on yield due to the earlier flooding. Nevertheless, the agriculture department remains confident that the remaining unsown areas will be covered in the coming days.
