Hyderabad: Nine districts are still in the deficit zone despite the heavy rain over the weekend, according to data released by the state government.
Komaram Bheem, Mancherial, Nirmal (parts of old Adilabad district), Jagityal, Peddapalli, Sircilla (old Karimnagar district), Nizamabad, Medak and Vikarabad districts suffer from minus 20 to minus 59 per cent deviation from the normal.
The state agriculture department said the rainfall since the beginning of the monsoon up to August 26 was 498.7 mm, against the normal of 546.8 mm, indicating a nine per cent deficit.
Compared to the corresponding period last year, there was a 32 per cent deficit. The average annual rainfall of the state is 903.3 mm.
Bhadradri-Kottagudem district received the highest rainfall of 770.8 mm, Nagarkurnool district the lowest at 259.5 mm.
Medchal-Malkajagiri, Hyderabad and Gadwal districts had 20 per cent excess rainfall. Nineteen districts received normal rains with a deviation of plus or minus 19 per cent.
Of the 584 revenue mandals, 101 reported excess rainfall, 302 normal and 180 mandals showed deficit. One mandal reported scanty rainfall (minus 99 to 60 per cent deviation).
Cropped area down 15% in state
The state has recorded a deficit in the overall crop area sown. Out of the normal of 43.24 lakh hectares, crops were sown in 36.7 lakh hectares as of August 26 according to data with the agriculture department.
This indicates 15 per cent deficit. Of this, more than 50 per cent of the area — 18.57 lakh hectares — has been sown with cotton. This is way more than 12.1 lakh hectares last year.
Maize, red gram, green gram, black gram and turmeric were sown in between 75 and 100 per cent of the normal area. Paddy, jowar, soybean, groundnut and sugarcane were sown in 51 to 75 per cent of the norm.
In Gadwal district, which has received excess rainfall, the net area sown was 56 per cent. In Nagarkurnool district, which recorded deficit rainfall, 90 per cent of the agricultural area has been sown.
