Deficit rainfall hits kharif activities in AP

VIJAYAWADA: Deficit rainfall in coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh has slowed down cultivation activity this kharif season. The north and coastal AP districts received deficit rainfall and Rayalaseema districts received excess rainfall in June month which is considered as the beginning of kharif sowings. Chittoor, Anantapur, Kadapa and Kurnool districts had received an average of 103.8 mm rainfall in June which was 43.6 mm excess to normal rainfall of 72.3 mm. The targeted cultivation area in 13 districts of AP for kharif-2021 is 38,13,859 hectares and sowing activity has been started in only 5,75,884 hectares.

According to the Directorate of Economics and Statistics (DES) on Rainfall in Andhra Pradesh, the Rayalaseema districts - Chittoor, Kadapa, Anantapur and Kurnool - received an average of 103.8 mm of rainfall in June that was 43.6 mm excess compared to normal rainfall of 72.3 mm. Chittoor district received 98.5 mm against normal rainfall of 78.7 mm, Kadapa 109.3 mm against 89.2 mm, Anantapur 102.9 mm against 63.9 mm and Kurnool 104.3 mm against 77.2 mm rainfall during June month.

South coastal district received normal rainfall of 61.1 mm against 74.7 mm normal rainfall in June. Krishna district received 100 mm rainfall against 97.8 mm, Guntur 81.7 mm against 88.3 mm, Prakasam 42.3 mm against 58 mm and Nellore 20.4 mm against 56.8 mm rainfall in June.

The north coastal districts received deficit rainfall of 85.5 mm rainfall against 126.1 mm. Srikakulam district received 82 mm rainfall against 134.9 mm, Vizianagaram 83.4 mm against 128.4 mm, Visakhapatnam 102.7 mm against 128.8 mm, East Godavari received 88.0 mm against 123.7 mm and West Godavari district received 71.5 mm rainfall against normal rainfall of 114.7 mm during June.

Farmers B Seetharamaiah and K Brahmaiah said irrigation water was must but the deficit rain slowed down the sowing activity. They said the sowing activity would pick up in the second half of July with the release of irrigation water in the canals and due to seasonal rains.

AP State Agriculture Mission vice-chairman M.V.S. Nagi Reddy said cultivation and sowing works began in the second week of July and would continue till the end of July. He said there was deficit rainfall only in the north coastal districts and the rest of the state received good rainfall and Rayalaseema received excess rainfall which was a good sign.

IMD Amaravati director S.Stella said from July 8 there would be seasonal rainfall in almost all districts and a low pressure would be formed in the West Central Bay which would give good rainfall for north coastal Andhra. She added that there would be normal rainfall in all the districts according to weather reports in the coming days.