F.NO. 3-1/2006-NCFC – E&S

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & COOPERATION

(NATIONAL CROP FORECASTING CENTRE)

                                                                        Room no. 145, Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi                                                                                           Dated, the 22nd November, 2006

SUBJECT: MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE CROP WEATHER WATCH GROUP HELD ON  17.11.2006.

A copy of the summary proceedings of the meeting of Crop Weather Watch Group held on 17^th Nov 2006 , is enclosed. This issues with the approval of the Chairman.

               (Jitender Kumar)

                    Addl. S.A.

                  Ph No. 7541

         e-mail – ncfc@nic.in

DISTRIBUTION LIST

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & CO-OPERATION

P.P.S. TO SECY (A&C)/ P.P.S. TO Spl. Secy. (CC) / PPS to Addl. Secy. (RSP)/   PPS  to  Addl. Secy. (PPM)/   PPS

to Addl. Secy. (AKS)/ P.P.S. TO Addl. Secy. (CTM)/ PS to Agriculture Commissioner/PS to Chairman, CACP

V . I . P .s

ADDL. SECY. (CABINET SECTT.)  / Shri Govindan Nair, Minister (Agri.) , ROME , Italy      

JOINT SECRETARIES/EXPERTS & OTHERS

J.S. (PP&CVO), Hort. Commissioner, J.S. (Crops & TMOP), J.S. (Credit, Coop. & INM), J.S. (Seeds, Agri., Imp & My), J.S. (Extn, NRM, RFS, WD & IT), J.S. (DM & IC), J.S. (Admn., EANHB, AC, GC, Policy & Plan) J.S. (Agrl. Marketing), J.S. (Trade & MM), Adviser (PPQ).

CROPS DIVISION / TMO & P / PIB

Addl. Commissioner (Crops), Asst. Commissioner (TMOP), Dy. Commissioner (Seeds), Press Information Officer,  DPIO

DIRECTORATE OF ECONOMICS & STATISTICS

ESA, Adviser (VK), Adviser (MB), Adviser (RV)

 I.C.A.R.

D.G.(ICAR)/DDG (NRM), ADG(AGRONOMY)

MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PD

Joint Secretary (Food) / Director (Edible Oils) / Director (Sugarcane), Dy. Director (Con. Affairs)

DEPARTMENT OF FERTILISER

Director (MOVEMENT),

PLANNING COMMISSION

ADVISER (AGRI) 

MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS

Director,Marketing,

 MINISTRY OF POWER

Member Secretary, Central Electricity Authority

INDIA METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT 

Director (IMD),

 DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (NCMRWF)

Director ( NCMRWF)

MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES

Director (Central Water Commission.), Chairman (Central Ground Water Board)

CENTRAL STATISTICAL ORGANISATION

ADG, NAD

MINISTRY OF FINANCE

Eco. Adviser

RESERVE BANK OF INDIA      

Director (DEAP)

NATIONAL INFORMATICS CENTRE

   Tech. Director

               F.NO. 3-1/2006-NCFC – E&S

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & COOPERATION

(NATIONAL CROP FORECASTING CENTRE)

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE CROP WEATHER WATCH GROUP HELD ON 17.11.2006

 The meeting of the Crop Weather Watch Group (CWWG) was held on 17.11.2006 under the Chairmanship of Shri Vijay Kumar, Adviser,  DES Ministry of Agriculture.

Salient aspects of discussions / presentations in the meeting

Rainfall

Rainfall during the week ending on  15^th November, 2006

Fairly widespread rainfall occurred over Tamil Nadu & Pondicherry , Kerala and South Coastal Andhra Pradesh on many days of the week and over North Coastal Andhra Pradesh during 9^th to 10^th November, 06.    Isolated heavy rainfall also occurred over Tamil Nadu and Coastal Andhra Pradesh on one or two days.  Isolated to scattered rainfall activity occurred over remaining parts of the Peninsula .

Fairly widespread  / scattered rainfall activity occurred over Coastal Orissa during 9^th – 10^th November, 06 and it was isolated over remaining parts of East India during 10^th – 11^th November, 06.

Scattered  / isolated rainfall activity occurred over Northeastern States.

Scattered  / isolated precipitation was realised over Jammu & Kashmir.

The weather remained mainly dry over rest of the regions during the week.

All India area weighted rainfall for the week (09^th -  15^th November, 2006) was above normal by 11% (Actual 7.2 mm, Normal 6.5  mm).

Distribution of Rainfall[1]:

Excess rainfall in 08 out of 36 meteorological sub-divisions of the country.

Normal rainfall in 07 out of 36 meteorological sub-divisions of the country.

               Deficient rainfall in 03 out of 36 meteorological sub-divisions of the country.

Scanty rainfall in 09 out of 36 meteorological sub-divisions of the country.

No rain in 09 out of 36 meteorological sub-divisions of the country.

Cumulative seasonal rainfall (1^st  October  to  15^th  November, 2006 )

All India area weighted rainfall for the Post-Monsoon season was below normal by 23% (Actual 73.3 mm  Normal 95.7 mm).

          Distribution of Rainfall:

Excess rainfall in 05 out of 36 meteorological sub-divisions of the country.

Normal rainfall in 06 out of 36 meteorological sub-divisions of the country.

            Deficient rainfall in 12 out of 36 meteorological sub-divisions of the country.

            Scanty rainfall in 13 out of 36 meteorological sub-divisions of the country.

Table-1: Cumulative Rainfall  from 1^st October to  15^th November, 06  in four regions of the country [2]

 Temperature:

The night temperatures remained above normal over most parts of the country except Peninsular India during the week.  They were 4^oC-6^oC above normal over Northwest India during many days of the week.

The night temperatures were generally near normal over most parts of the Peninsula during the week.

Zone-wise Weather Forecast and Warning for the period (17^th – 23^rd  November, 2006), by NCMRWF and IMD

North & North-West India (J&K, HP, Uttaranchal, Punjab , Haryana, Delhi , West UP)

Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh are likely to receive scattered to fairly widespread rain / snowfall during 17^th –18^th November, 06 and then during 21^st – 23^rd November, 06.   Uttaranchal may receive scattered precipitation and Punjab and Haryana isolated showers during 17^th –20^th November, 06.

East India and NE India (East UP, Bihar , Jharkhand, West Bengal , Orissa , NE States)

Isolated rainfall is expected over Coastal Orissa, West Bengal and NE States during 18^th Nov, o6.

Central India (MP, Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha)

Mainly dry weather is likely over the region.

South India (Tamil Nadu, AP, Kerala, Karnataka, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep )

Scattered to fairly widespread rainfall is likely over Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala with isolated heavy rains during 17^th – 20^th Nov, 06 and reduce thereafter.

West India ( Maharashtra , Other than Vidarbha, Gujarat , Rajasthan)

Mainly dry weather is likely over rest of  the region.

Heavy rainfall warning:

Isolated heavy rainfall is likely over Tamil Nadu & Pondicherry, Kerala, Lakshadweep and South Coastal Andhra Pradesh.

Reservoir Status (For the week ending on 16.11.2006)

The Central Water Commission monitors the live storage of 76 important/major reservoirs, having Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of 133.02 billion cubic meters (BCM), which is about 63% of total reservoir capacity in the country. 

Water stock in 76 major reservoirs decreased to 108.62  BCM from 111.44 BCM reported last week. The current storage is more than the last year’s position by 2.21 BCM and more than the average of last 10 year’s storage by 19.48 BCM.

Table – 3: For 76 major reservoirs of the country

There were 70 reservoirs having storage more than 80%, 4 reservoirs having storage between  50% to 80% and one reservoir having storage between 30% to 50% of Normal Storage.

There was one reservoir namely, Gumti  (Tripura) having live storage under 30% of normal storage and no reservoir having negative live storage.

Crop Condition (Rabi 2006)

Table – 4: Summary of progress of Rabi crops (area coverage)

(Area in lakh hectares)

Price Situation of Agricultural Commodities (Department of Consumer Affairs)

Inflation

The all-commodity inflation rate based on Wholesale Price Index (WPI) on a point to point basis for the week ending 4.11.2006 increased by 0.21 percentage points to 5.30% from the previous week’s level of 5.09%. The inflation rate for the agriculture commodities rose by 0.46% and for foodgrains rose by 0.57% over the week on account of increase in WPI of Rice by (0.50%), Wheat by (1.08%), Bajra by (2.10%),  Maize by (0.19%), Ragi by (0.48%), Gram by (1.01%) and Urad by (1.34%).  The WPI of some of the food items declined: Jowar by (0.19%), Arhar by (0.55%), Moong by (1.72%), Masur by (0.28) and Sugar by (1.72%).  The inflation rate was 4.04% during the corresponding period last year.

Table – 5: Retail prices of Essential Agricultural Commodities at Delhi

                     (Rs. Per Kg.)

Prices quoted are of the fair average quality, consumed by masses

Representative prices of five markets of Delhi are Yusuf Sarai, Janak Puri, Paharganj, Kotla Mubarakpur and Shahdara.

Source : Department of food and Civil Supplies, Delhi

During the week, prices of some of the essential agricultural commodities like Rice, Wheat, Atta, Groundnut oil, Vanaspati and Milk remained at the same level as they were last week .  Rise in prices was noted in Tea (Loose) (50 paise per kg, 0.5%) and Mustard oil (Re. 1.00 per kg, 1.9%).  Fall in price was noted in Gram dal (50 paise per kg, 1.2%), Tur dal (Re. 1.00 per kg, 2.9%), Sugar (Re. 1.00 per kg, 4.8%), Potato (Rs. 2.00 per kg, 13.3%), Onion (50 paise per kg, 5.3%), Tomato (Rs. 2.00 per kg, 14.3%), Brinjal (Re. 1.00 per kg, 9.1%) and Gourd (Lauki) (Re. 1.0 per kg, 7.1%)..

As compared to the last year the price of Sugar remained steady and  increase in prices of Rice (Re. 1.00 per kg, 7.7%), Wheat (Rs. 3.00 per kg, 33.3%), Atta (Rs. 3.00 per kg, 30.0%),Gram Dal (Rs. 15.00 per kg, 57.7%), Tur dal (50 paise per kg, 1.5%), Potato (Re. 1.00 per kg, 8.3%), Gourd (Lauki) (Rs. 5.00 per kg, 62.5%), Vanaspati (Rs. 9.00 per kg, 19.1%), Mustard Oil (Rs. 2.00 per ltr., 3.8%), Groundnut oil (Rs. 6.00 per kg, 7.2%), Milk (Rs.2.00 per lt, 13.3%) and Tea (Loose) (Rs. 6.00 per kg, 5.9%) and decrease in price of Tomato (Rs. 4.00 per kg, -25.0%), Brinjal (Rs. 2.00 per kg, -16.7%) and Onion (Rs. 9.00 per kg,  -50.0%).  

Fertilizer Position:

Table – 6: Requirement, Availability, Sales and Stock position of Major Fertilizers Urea, DAP and MOP as on 31^st October, 2006

                                                                                                (in ‘000 Tonnes)

Pest & Diseases:

Chemical Pesticides / Bio-pesticides Position:

                        No report of shortage / short supply of either chemical pesticides or bio-pesticides has been received from any State / UT.

                        The incidence of pest & diseases remained below Economic Threshold   Level (ETL) generally for most of the crops

Procurement :

Table – 8: Progressive procurement of Rice as on 16.11.2006 (lakh tonnes)

Source: Department of Food & Public Distribution.

Annexure

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS WHO ATTENDED THE MEETING OF CROP WEATHER WATCH GROUP HELD ON  17.11.2006.

Shri Vijay Kumar                            Adviser                                      Chairman

               DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & COOPERATION

1.         Dr. J.P. Mishra                          Dy. Commissioner (Crops)

2.         Shri S. Selvaraj                          DC (Seeds)

3.         Dr. S.S. Tomar                          Asstt. Commissioner (TMOP)

4.         Shri Chennu S. Mathad              Asstt. Editor (Extn.)

I.M.D.

5.         Shri B.P. Yadav                         Director

DEPTT. OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

6.         Dr. J.V. Singh                            P.S.O. (SCD)

C.W.C.

7.         Shri S. K. Sinha                         Asstt. Director

CENTRAL GROUND WATER BOARD

8.         Sh. Rana Chatterjee                   Scientist ‘D’

I.C.A.R.

9.         Dr. A.K. Gogoi                           ADG (Agro.)

P.P.Q & S

10.        Shri V.K. Yadava                       Dy. Director (IPM)

P.I.B.

11.        Smt. Santha Balakrishnan          JD (Media & Communication)

N.C.F.C.

12.      Shri Jitender Kumar                   Addl. S.A. & Member Secretary

13.      Shri P.S. Meena                         Dy. E.A.

14.      Smt. Sudha Keshari                  Asstt. E.A.

Note: Representatives from Deptt. of Fertilizer, Deptt. of Consumer Affairs , Horticulture Division, Deptt. of Food & PD, RBI did not attend the meeting.   It is requested that they should regularly attend meetings of the group.