Two-thirds of the 22 districts (Hyderabad district not included) in Andhra Pradesh have reported deficit rainfall in the kharif season. A few others have received just about the average figures, indicating an impending difficult period for the farmers.
Though it started off well, the season slowly lost momentum as the monsoon turned erratic, leaving vast stretches uncovered by rain. Coastal districts and the four districts of Rayalaseema are the worst hit. While Rayalaseema reported a deficit of 8 per cent (267 mm), north coastal districts (Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam) received 23 per cent less rains (427 mm) this season.
South Coastal (Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam and Nellore) reported a gain of 16 per cent than the average rainfall of 357 mm as on date. According to reports reaching the State headquarters, the deficit in the East and West Godavari districts, considered to be the rice bowl of the State, and Visakhapatnam was put in the bracket of 20-59 per cent.
The shortage of rainfall is likely to hit crops such as groundnut, jowar, bajra, ragi, sunflower and chillies.
Officials of the Ministry of Agriculture, however, claimed that the net area sown showed a significant increase. Farmers have sown paddy in 23.21 lakh hectares so far as against last year’s 18.50 lakh ha. This, however, is well behind the normal area of 26.29 lakh ha.
The State has covered sowings in 74.56 lakh ha as on date, as against the average of 73.19 lakh ha. The total average cropped area in kharif is 81 lakh ha.
krmanath.kanchi@thehindu.co.in