Anantapur: Timely arrival of monsoon along with predictions of good rains during south-west monsoon season increased hopes on the progress of Rayalaseema in general and Anantapur district in particular because the groundnut crop has an impact on the business of all trades throughout the year. Groundnut had resulted in huge loss for farmers for the past three consecutive years.
Of the 18.8 lakh hectare grown throughout the State, it is grown in about 7.24 lakh hectare in Anantapur district alone. Anantapur has the distinction as a single district having the largest area under the groundnut cultivation in the world. Further, other districts of Rayalaseema occupied with 72 per cent of extent along with Kadapa, Kurnool and Chittoor districts in the state.
Groundnut is an important commercial crop in rain fed areas which influences everything of people of Anantapur not only connected with farming sector but entire trading every year. A minimum of Rs 1,000 crore worth of business transactions would be done through various trading if the groundnut crop gives good yield every year. Failure for crops for three consecutive years pushed all businesses into dark.
However, prediction of good climate and the early showers predicted by the meteorological department and also the astro predictions for the present season increased hopes during the present kharif season.
The crop can be grown successfully in places receiving rainfall between 500 mm and 1,250 mm. The rainfall should be well-distributed during the flowering, pegging and pod formation stages of the crop to get good yields.
Civil supplies minister Paritala Sunitha observed the timely showers encouraged the farmers to start cultivation practices in time. She interacted with the farmers in Rapthadu constituency who were on sowing of seed. Anantapur joint collector B. Lakshmikantham said seed groundnut was distributed to all genuine farmers through technical methods to avoid black marketing of seed.
The temperature and rainfall significantly influence the groundnut production. Characterised by harsh environmental conditions like low rainfall, intense solar radiation, high temperature during summer and high wind along with soils are degraded and mostly alkaline.
Despite all these factors, groundnut has proved to be the only crop that will ensure some income to farmers in Anantapur district and play a vital role in the district's economy. Anantapur collector Kona Sasidhar said the rain guns would also be introduced during peak season to protect groundnut fields from rain deficit conditions.
