Though paddy, so far, has been cultivated for only about 60 per cent of the season, agricultural scientists predict that the yield this season will be higher than in previous years.
Experts also say there is nothing to worry about as the deficit in paddy production can be comfortably covered through the Rabi crop. Paddy has been sown on 16.26 lakh hectares, which is nearly 10 lakh hectares less than the season’s usual and about 4 lakh hectares less than last year at this time.
Dr P Raghava Reddy, former V-C Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, expected productivity to be high this Kharif. “Productivity will be higher than previous years this time because we had a very high number of hours of bright sunshine. Sun is important for paddy,” he observes.
He also says if there is a deficit in rice production this Kharif, it can be easily covered in Rabi. This is also true because yield in the Rabi rice crop in the state is generally, far higher than that in the Kharif season each year. While in 2006-07, rice yield in Kharif was 2,631 kg/hectare, it was 3,682 kg/hectare in the Rabi season.
In 2010-11, Kharif rice yield was 2,570 kg/hectare whereas rice yield in Rabi season the same year was 3,777 kg/hectare. Agricultural scientists say this huge difference is because of continuous water supply and lower pest effects.
Former special director general, Indian Council Agricultural Research M.V. Rao says, “Yield in Kharif is less because the crop is dependent on rainfall, which is mostly erratic, and it is affected by pests and diseases. Rabi crop is always better because there is assured irrigation and pests are lower in number due to the climate.”
The area under paddy in Rabi is smaller because it is mostly grown on irrigated lands during that time.
“In Telangana yield is higher in Kharif while Rabi yield is higher in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema. Krishna and Godavari regi-ons are better irrigated and have higher light intensity during Rabi which increases the yield,” he says.