Karimnagar: This year’s drought left an adverse impact not only on agriculture, but its allied sectors. For instance, rice mills are being closed down due to heavy losses. Hamali workers, daily-wage- labourers and unskilled workforce are unable to get adequate work at the rice mills. Those who eke out a living by stitching gunny bags are undergoing a tough phase with discouraging business.
Being the largest producer of paddy in Telangana, Karimnagar district is regarded as Rice Bowl of Telangana and has the most number of rice mills. The rice mills industry was recording a roaring business until few years back. But, it is reeling under severe crisis following decline in cultivation and yield of paddy owing to scanty rainfall registered in the past three agriculture seasons.
For example, paddy crop was sown in 1.04 lakh hectares as against normal 1.82 lakh hectares in the ongoing rabi season. The area of cultivation of paddy was 90,850 hectares during kharif season, concluded recently. Similarly, production of paddy was dropped down to 4 lakh metric tonnes in the last year when compared to the usual yield, 12 lakh metric tonnes per season.
