Kharif Crop Sowing Lags in AP Amid Rainfall Deficit

Anantapur: Andhra Pradesh has recorded kharif crop sowings on 22.82 lakh hectares as of September 9, covering 74 per cent of the season’s normal area of 30.84 lakh hectares, according to the latest Season and Crop Coverage Report released by the Commissionerate of Agriculture.

The state received 212.3mm of rainfall between June 1 and Sept 9, which was 54.6 per cent below normal. All 28 districts were reported to be in rainfall deficit. Reservoir storage stood at 473tmc, compared with 770tmc during the corresponding period last year.

Among major crops, paddy sowing stood at 12.014 lakh hectares against a season normal of 15.14 lakh hectares, achieving 79 per cent of the target. Red gram performed relatively better, with 2.626 lakh hectares covered against a normal 2.96 lakh hectares, or 89 per cent of the season’s target.

Cotton sowing stood at 4.109 lakh hectares against a normal 5.15 lakh hectares, while groundnut covered 1.475 lakh hectares against a season normal of 3.87 lakh hectares, registering only 38 per cent progress. Total oilseed coverage was 1.944 lakh hectares, or 43 per cent of the season normal.

Jute/Mesta and soybean were among the crops ahead of their season’s normals, recording 151 per cent and 131 per cent respectively. Greengram and blackgram also crossed their season-normal sowing levels.

At the district level, SPSR Nellore recorded the highest progress at 179 per cent of its season normal, followed by Tirupati at 159 per cent.

The Alluri Sitharama Raju, Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema, West Godavari, SPSR Nellore and Tirupati districts had crossed their respective season-normal sowing areas.

In Rayalaseema, Anantapur recorded 2.38 lakh hectares, achieving 69 per cent of its season normal, while Sri Sathya Sai district registered 1.11 lakh hectares, or 56 per cent. Kurnool recorded 3.29 lakh hectares, achieving 90 per cent of its season normal. YSR Kadapa and Annamayya districts recorded 45 per cent and 26 per cent respectively.

Prakasam, Polavaram and Markapuram remained the three districts with less than 25 per cent of their season-normal sowing.

Pest incidence: The report also recorded pest incidence over 20,338 hectares, including 1,885 hectares where the incidence was above the economic threshold level. However, the outstanding crops are bearing the adverse impact of rain deficit and rise of mercury levels mostly in Rayalaseema region.

El Nino: The strengthening El Nino is raising public concern over its possible impact on weather conditions in the coming months, with the US Climate Prediction Center forecasting a more than 90 per cent chance of a very strong El Nino event during the Northern Hemisphere during the fall and winter of 2026-27.

According to the latest ENSO Diagnostic Discussion issued by the CPC on Sept. 10, sea surface temperature anomalies exceeded 3°C in the eastern equatorial Pacific during August. The Niño 3.4 index rose to 1.5°C, while the Niño 3 and Niño 1+2 indices reached 2.5°C and 3.4°C, respectively.

The CPC said the ocean-atmosphere system was showing signs of a strengthening El Nino, with enhanced convection and rainfall over the central and eastern Pacific and suppressed rainfall over Indonesia.

The official ENSO outlook indicates that the phenomenon is likely to strengthen through the end of 2026. There is a 75 per cent or greater probability of a historic event during October-December 2026, potentially exceeding the strength of El Nino events recorded since 1950.

The CPC cautioned that such a strong event could increase the likelihood of El Nino-related weather impacts, though the exact seasonal effects cannot be guaranteed.