Dry Spell, Humidity Worry Rayalaseema Farmers
Below-normal monsoon rain delays Kharif sowing in the region
KURNOOL: Humid and uncomfortable weather conditions continue to prevail across Rayalaseema even as June nears its end, with inadequate southwest monsoon rainfall affecting large parts of Kurnool, Nandyal and Kadapa districts.
Although the monsoon arrived during the first week of June, rainfall has remained below expectations across most areas, except for a few pockets in Anantapur district. While daytime temperatures have eased slightly, high humidity levels have kept conditions oppressive. Residents say the weather continues to resemble peak summer conditions despite the onset of the monsoon.
Meteorological officials attributed the situation to uneven rainfall distribution across the region. “Rainfall has not been uniform. While one mandal received up to 80 mm, another barely recorded even 1 mm,” an official at the Rekulakunta weather station in Anantapur said.
In Nandyal district, 84 mm of rainfall was recorded against a normal of 77 mm across its 30 mandals, but most of it was received between June 1 and June 10. Since then, 27 mandals have reported negligible rainfall.
Kurnool district has also witnessed below-normal rainfall in most areas, except in Kowthalam and Pedda Kadubur mandals. The prolonged dry spell has raised concerns among farmers preparing for kharif cultivation over nearly 90,000 hectares.
“I planned to cultivate cotton on four acres, but with no rains so far, I am hesitant to proceed,” said K. Sudarshana Naidu, a farmer from Pattikonda. He said the shortage of urea has added to farmers’ difficulties.
In Kadapa district, water scarcity has begun affecting horticulture crops such as sweet lime, lemon and papaya in the Badvel constituency. Farmers report declining groundwater levels and inadequate irrigation sources.
Despite 22 days of the kharif season having passed, less than 20 per cent of the cultivable area has been sown across the affected districts. Farmers remain hopeful that rainfall before the end of June will help them begin nursery preparations and proceed with sowing operations. Meanwhile, high humidity continues to trouble residents across rural Rayalaseema.
Quote: Rainfall has not been uniform. While one mandal received up to 80 mm, another barely recorded even 1 mm. -- an official, Rekulakunta weather station, Anantapur.
