Continuous Drizzle Revives Farm Activity in Telangana; Sowing Completed in 82 Lakh Acres, Crosses Last Year's Record

After a prolonged dry spell, continuous drizzles for over 48 hours have triggered a fresh rush of farm activity, with farmers completing sowing and transplantation on 82.65 lakh acres in the ongoing Vanakalam (kharif) season. This marks a marginal improvement over the 82.15 lakh acres recorded on the same day last year.

Agriculture officials said the steady rainfall has improved soil moisture and replenished farm ponds, enabling cultivators to take seedlings to the fields. Farmers who had raised paddy nurseries weeks ago were earlier in a dilemma over proceeding with transplantation in the absence of adequate water. The recent drizzle has removed that uncertainty, with many describing the rains as a relief that has turned dry nurseries green and made field conditions favourable for planting.

As against a 30 per cent rainfall deficit just a week ago, incessant rain over the last two days have brought the shortfall down to 19 per cent.

According to agriculture officials, paddy transplantation has been completed in 25.46 lakh acres, about 31 per cent of the targeted 65.97 lakh acres. In the case of cotton, nearly 98 per cent of the sowing has been completed, covering 46.33 lakh acres against a target of 47.41 lakh acres. Maize has been sown in 4.69 lakh acres, or about 76 per cent of the 6.16 lakh-acre target.

Similarly, pigeon pea (red gram) cultivation has reached 81 per cent, with 4.42 lakh acres covered out of a target of 5.44 lakh acres, while soybean has been sown in 3.66 lakh acres, around 88 per cent of the 4.16 lakh-acre target.