Gandhinagar – Two districts of Gujarat – Gir Somnath and Amreli are rain deficient as per the data available for Monsoon 2025 so far.

Data reveals that eight districts have recorded excess rainfall, ranging from 20% to 59% above normal. These include Kutch, Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Surendranagar, Kheda, Anand, Botad, and Bhavnagar.

In sharp contrast, two districts in the Saurashtra region, Amreli and Gir Somnath, are grappling with a deficient monsoon, with rainfall deficits between -20% and -59%. So far, no district in the state has fallen into the “large excess” (over 60%) or “large deficient” (-60% to -99%) categories.

Of the 12 talukas with the most insufficient rainfall this season, seven are in Amreli and Gir Somnath. These talukas, including Dhari and Jafrabad in Amreli and Kodinar and Una in Gir Somnath, have received only 23% to 35.52% of their ten-year average monsoon rainfall. With the break in the monsoon getting longer, farmers in these regions are hoping for a swift revival.

The Gujarat government has initiated measures to support affected farmers. The state cabinet has approved an increase in agricultural power supply from 8 hours to 10 hours daily across 11 districts in the Saurashtra region, including the hard-hit Amreli and Gir Somnath.

Additionally, the government has decided to release more water from the Narmada dam into the SAUNI Yojana network. This ambitious project links various dams in Saurashtra with the Narmada water supply through a network of pipelines and canals, providing crucial irrigation support during dry spells.

As of August 4th, Gujarat had achieved 82.35% sowing for Kharif season. While key crops like Groundnut (116.62%) and Soybean (101.12%) have surpassed their targets, sowing for Cotton, another major cash crop, stands at only 80.33% compared to the same period last year.

The immediate forecast from the IMD offers little comfort, with no significant rainfall predicted for the coming week. The state’s major reservoirs, however, are in a healthy position, with Narmada at over 75% and Ukai at over 70% capacity. In Saurashtra, Shetrunji dam is 100% full, though others like Bhadar and Machhu-2 have lower levels.

With August and September historically being crucial monsoon months, all eyes are on the skies. The state’s agricultural sector is banking on a late revival of the monsoon to salvage the season and ensure water security for the coming year. DeshGujarat