Farming is being hindered as rains continue to play truant, with nearly half the state reeling under a drought-like situation. The total cultivated area in the state this year is 18.32 lakh hectares (ha), as agai-nst the normal amount of 22.13 lakh ha, a shortfall of 3.81 lakh ha. The total area this kharif is 80.29 lakh ha. Delayed rains have also left major reservoirs half empty. All the major reservoirs were holding 276.53 TMC (-45 per cent) on Wednesday as against 506.50 TMC last year on the same date.
Besides delayed rains, the non-availability of certain brands of seeds, the high cost of fertilizers and other agricultural requirements, and drastic power cuts, has hit farmers hard and given the Opposition an opportunity to lash out at the government. Though agriculture minister Kanna Laxminarayana denies the shortage of seeds and fertilisers, reports of the shortage continued to pour in from various districts.
“There is no need to worry. We expect good rainfall in the next few days and the shortage of cultivable area will be covered,” a senior agriculture official said. The state has recorded a 24 per cent shortfall in rainfall from June 1 to July 4, which led to a drop in cultivation and other farming activity in various districts. Release of Nagarjuna Sagar water from storage to delta area has kicked up another T-storm.
As against the normal rainfall of 127.4 mm from June 1 to July 4, the state received 97.1 mm, a deviation of 24 per cent. Anantapur district is the worst hit, with the lowest rainfall from June 1 to July 4, just 19.3 mm as against the normal of 67 mm, a deviation of -71 per cent. Over the same period, nine districts received deficit rainfall — Nellore, Kurnool, Kadapa, Chittoor, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Adilabad, Mahabubnagar and Nalgonda.