[1]Nellore: Taking advantage of the monsoon rains, farmers have launched agriculture operations in SPSR Nellore district. Cultivation activities related to kharif began in April-May itself under filter points and wells. The recent rains have contributed to the intensification of the preparation activities.
Incidentally, farmers have, as usual, opted for traditional paddy cultivation notwithstanding to the poor water reserves in Somasila project and Kandaleru dam apart from other tanks and reservoirs banking on the rains.
According to latest information, the water level in Somasila project is 7.739 tmc ft (lowest in the recent past), Kandaleru 12.058 tmc ft, Kanigiri reservoir 9.8 tmc ft, Surveypalli tank 4.5 tmc ft and Nellore tank 11.1 tmc ft. The reserves in other tanks are almost negligible.
Agriculture wing officials say that the farmers are preferring paddy knowing fully-well about threat to the crop in case of monsoon failure hoping good returns in view of skyrocketing market price for rice.
Joint director of agriculture K.V. Subba Rao said that the rains in the first half of July helped standing paddy crop affected by pest and diseases. Paddy is being cultivated in 20,549 hectare as against the normal area of 62,000 hectare as of now and the balance extent will be covered by September, Subba Rao noted.
He added that some paddy farmers have opted for groundnut cultivation while referring to the extent of groundnut in 9,877 hectare as against normal area of 6,513 hectare during the current season. He said that they are providing green manure seed to the farmers apart from pulses.
“In all, 45,148 hectare have been covered with various crops out of normal cultivation area of 98,094 hectare during the current agricultural season,” Subba Rao said.
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