Effect of monsoon onset and withdrawal on rice production in Chhattisgarh

Abstract

The variability in monsoonal rainfall has affected agricultural production worldwide. Changes in the onset, withdrawal and distribution of monsoon rainfall have made a risky preposition for rice cultivation. In Chhattisgarh rice cultivation is mainly rain-fed and obviously prone to south-west monsoon variability. The aim of this research was to analyze the probable impact of monsoon onset and withdrawal variability on rice production in different agro-climatic zones of Chhattisgarh during a 29-year period (1989-2017). On the basis of correlation analysis we found that there is significant relationship between withdrawal dates of monsoon and rice production. The r-values was 0.491 (In CPZ), 0.594 (In BPZ) and 0.472 (In NHZ) for the correlation between monsoon withdrawal dates and rice production. The highest value of correlation co-efficient was found for Bastar plateau zone (r = 0.594). These co-efficient are significant at the 1% level of significance in all three agro-climatic zones for withdrawal dates of SWM (south west monsoon) and rice production during 1989-2017. In comparison of average rice production data under different categories of monsoon onset-withdrawal, we found that late withdrawal conditions are favorable for rice production and productivity.