Despite a delay in the arrival of monsoon, Union Agriculture Minister Mr. Sharad Pawar has said that the agriculture situation in the country is not worrisome at the moment. Speaking to reporters in Mumbai today, Mr. Pawar said that poor rain have affected cultivation of pulses and oil seeds in Maharashtra and Karnataka but paddy sowing in Andhra Pradesh, Chhatisgarh, Orissa, West Bengal, Assam has remained unaffected.

Mr. Pawar said that monsoon rain have been 31 per cent below average up to 2nd July and this could affect the overall production of pulses in 2012-13. He, however, added that the Centre and the State Governments have prepared contingency plans to deal with any further delay or deficiency in monsoon.