Paddy Cultivation Surges in Erstwhile Karimnagar Despite Govt Advice
The area is likely to increase further as sowing is still continuing.
KARIMNAGAR: Paddy cultivation has surged in the erstwhile Karimnagar district despite the state government’s advice against growing the water-intensive crop during the Kharif season amid deficient rainfall and limited water availability.
So far, paddy has been sown on 2.26 lakh acres against the estimated 2.75 lakh acres for the Kharif season. The area is likely to increase further as sowing is still continuing.
In view of the deficit rainfall this monsoon, which the government attributed to El Nino, farmers had been advised to avoid paddy cultivation during the Kharif season and opt for irrigated dry (ID) crops.
However, farmers who were initially hesitant to take up paddy cultivation began planting the crop on a large scale following heavy rainfall in the last week of July.
Despite the overall rainfall deficit, farmers are continuing with paddy cultivation. So far, 2,074 mm of rainfall has been recorded against the normal 3,854.2 mm.
Though irrigation projects such as Yellampalli and Mid Manair received adequate inflows following the recent rains, the State government has decided against supplying water from the projects for agricultural purposes. Some ministers have already announced that the available water would be utilised only for drinking purposes.
There has also been no significant improvement in the groundwater table, although recent rains have led to a marginal rise in water levels in some areas.
Farmer N. Janardhan of Manakondur told Deccan Chronicle that the recent rainfall would help the standing crop survive for about a month. The crop would require additional water thereafter, he said.
He added that water levels in irrigation projects had increased and the groundwater table had also risen marginally, which could improve water availability in agricultural wells.
Senior scientist and head of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Jammikunta, Dr N. Venkateshwar Rao said the next three months would be critical for the paddy crop. There would not be much difficulty if rainfall occurred once in a fortnight, he said.
The crop requires adequate water during the grain formation stage, failing which the yield could decline. Prolonged dry spells could also increase the risk of pest attacks, he said.