Hyderabad: The ongoing rains have failed to bring much respite to standing crops that have been affected by dry conditions since early July. Officials say if it rains well as predicted, crops sown in a large extent of land can be saved.
Eleven districts continue to reel under deficit rainfall ranging from 20 to 50 per cent. Of the total cultivable area of 1.06 crore acres in the state, crops have been sown in over 85 lakh acres by August 11. Only 30 lakh acres of the total cultivable area have irrigation facilities; crops in the remaining 76 lakh acres depend on rain at all times.
The recent rain could save standing crops in less than 35 lakh acres; the other 50 lakh acres still await water. The rain brought respite only to maize and soya crops that were on the verge of drying up.
There is no major improvement in the condition of paddy and cotton which were sown in large areas, and officials and farmers are looking to the heavens for help.
Major irrigation projects can irrigate 23.78 lakh acres, medium irrigation projects 3.58 lakh acres and the tanks and other minor irrigation facilities 2.64 lakh acres. Then again, they can provide irrigation only when they have water.
With water levels in all major and medium reservoirs and minor irrigation facilities remaining almost at dead storage with no major rainfall since July, not even 10 per cent of the irrigation need could be met.
Most of the districts continue to reel under deficit rainfall and agriculture officials stated that the crops could be saved only if the rains continue in the remaining days of August.
Agriculture minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy said, “Out of 584 mandals in the state, 213 mandals continue to reel under deficit rainfall. Another 258 mandals received normal rainfall and 111 recorded excess rainfall.”
He said crops were affected in Adilabad, Asifabad, Mancherial, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Jagityal, Peddapalli, Bhupalapally, Sircilla and Medak districts.
How it rained
13 % The average rainfall received in the state from June 1 to August 9 is 367.7 mm, against the normal of 423.4 mm, indicating a deficit of 13 per cent.
Standing crops in Adilabad, Asifabad, Mancherial, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Jagitial, Peddapalli, Bhupalapalli, Sircilla, Medak and Vikarabad districts have been adversely affected. Badradri, Mahbubabad, Warangal Rural, Mahbubnagar, Karimanagar,Kamareddy, Sangareddy, Siddipet, Jangoan, Yadadri, Wanaparthy, Suryapet, Nalgonda, Nagarkurnool, Khammam, Ranga Reddy and Warangal Urban districts witnessed normal rainfall.
Only Gadwal, Medchal and Hyderabad districts experienced excess rainfall.
