Copious rains across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana over the last 10 days have saved the day for farmers, who were beginning to worry about a long dry spell and shrinking reservoir levels. Though agricultural operations are in full swing in both States thanks to rains, poor storage levels in almost all reservoirs, barring Srisailam, is a cause for concern.
In Andhra Pradesh, all 26 districts received above normal rainfall, revving up sowings. “Sowings have been completed in 10.25 lakh hectares (lh), which is far higher than last year’s 9.23 lakh hectares as of today,” an official said.
The total kharif area in the State is 34 lh, which includes 15 lh of paddy and 5.5 lh of groundnut.
Ops in full swing
Agricultural operations are in full swing across the paddy-growing areas. Sowing has been completed in 4.49 lh, almost reaching the as-on-date average (5 lh) sowing area of the staple crop. Interestingly, the area covered so far is higher than last year’s 3.85 lh.
Groundnut sowings have reached the last year’s as-on-date area of 1.6 lh. But the area covered so far is only half of what they should have completed by now. “Though delayed, continuous rains over the last one week covered the whole State,” Kesava Rao, a farmer’s leader, said. He, however, expressed concern at the poor reservoir levels. “Only Srisailam is filling up. (Nagarjuna) Sagar is yet to receive good inflows,” he said.
Last round sowing
According to the latest reports, the storage level at Srisailam is 72 tmc as against last year’s 34 tmc, while Nagarjuna Sagar’s storage level, at 121 tmc, is lower than last year’s 143 tmc.
Farmers in Telangana too are busy covering the last round. The State Government expects the farmers to grow paddy and cotton in 24 lh each. In some areas, farmers had to go for second sowing after getting hit by a dry spell.
According to the latest reports, sowings in paddy and cotton, which occupy the bulk of the kharif area, have reached the last year’s levels.