Farmers Wary Despite Record Water Allocation for Early Kharif in Nellore

Nellore: Despite a record allocation of irrigation water for 3.60 lakh acres during the early Kharif season by the irrigation advisory board, farmers in the SPSR Nellore district are hesitant to begin cultivation across nearly 1 lakh acres.

The apprehension stems from the failure of irrigation officials to undertake de-silting works in key canal systems ahead of the sowing season.

Interestingly, Nellore is the only district in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh region with a combined water storage capacity of 100tmc in the Somasila and Kandaleru reservoirs this season.

“Although clearance was given for cultivating 3.60 lakh acres, we anticipate that the actual cultivation may be limited to 2.50 lakh acres, especially in areas like Manubolu mandal, where canals remain choked with silt,” said joint director of agriculture, T Sathyavani.

To support farmers in planning their crops, the agriculture department conducted district-wide training sessions from April 21 to 30 on crop selection and management. Additionally, over 27,000 soil samples were collected to provide crop-specific recommendations based on soil health and fertility.

Farmers are being encouraged to focus their attention on short-duration and fine-quality paddy varieties such as KNM 1638, MTU 1010, NLR 34449 and NLR 3354. The department is also recommending that 50 per cent of the landholdings be used to grow pulses like green gram and black gram, alongside green manure crops to support judicious water usage under irrigated dry crop practices.

Further, the agriculture department is promoting pre-monsoon dry sowing (PDS) to enhance soil health. PDS kits, containing 30 types of seeds, are being distributed through women self-help groups. The practice is expected to improve soil fertility, organic carbon levels, and water retention, while also addressing micronutrient deficiencies.

Meanwhile, minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy urged water users association (WUA) presidents to actively participate in equitable water distribution. At a recent meeting, he also emphasized the need to shift towards low-water-consuming crops.

In a noteworthy announcement, the minister revealed an allocation of Rs.18 crore for major irrigation projects. He also confirmed that minor canal de-silting would be undertaken under the MGNREGS scheme to address infrastructural gaps ahead of the season.