India, July 19 -- Kharif sowing in Maharashtra has gathered pace after widespread rainfall in July, with cultivation covering 1.03 crore hectares or 71% of the state's average Kharif-cultivable area of 1.44 crore hectares, according to the state agriculture department. This marks a sharp turnaround from mid-June when Kharif sowing was limited to just 1.43 lakh hectares due to a weak monsoon. However, the current pace still falls behind last year when nearly 85% of the sowing had been completed by the same time.

State agriculture minister Dattatray Bharne said that the situation has significantly improved owing to widespread rainfall since the first week of July. "Rainfall in June was far below normal, severely affecting sowing. Fortunate...