AP, TS farmers reeling under long dry spell 

Both States appear set for drought conditions

With no respite from heat, since the south-west monsoon remains inactive for a considerable period of time, the farming community in both Telugu States is worried over looming drought threat once again. A subdued monsoon current and a depression in the northern Bay of Bengal are responsible for the dry weather found across the states, according to the IMD. The deficiency of rainfall in Telangana this monsoon registers at negative 23 per cent, with Medak and Hyderabad districts particularly negative affected.

The IMD predicts that after September 1, there will be continued increase in rainfall across Telangana, Rayalseema and Costal Andhra Pradesh. Telangana and Costal Andhra Pradesh have experienced deficient rainfall this monsoon season. Since the start of this monsoon season, the country received 89 per cent of the normal or surplus rains.

The paddy plantation in Telangana was stretched till the first week of August and beyond the first week of August in AP, owing to the delayed water release under canal irrigation. AP and Telangana have a normal cropped area of 40.96 lakh hectares and 43.44 lakh hectares respectively in the Kharif season. So far sowing operations were completed in 33% and 51% of the normal area in AP and Telangana respectively, according to official statistics.

Paddy is the largest crop in AP with a normal cropped area of 160.3 lakh hectares in the Kharif season, though paddy plantation takes place at the fag-end of the season. Sowing in over 60% of the area under the Irrigated Dry crops have already been completed in the state. In Telangana, paddy is the second largest crop with a normal cropped area of 9.86 lakh hectares, while cotton occupies the largest area of 17.09 lakh hectares in the Kharif season. Telangana is among the top cotton-growing states in India.

Coming to pulses, with the completion of sowing in 4.22 lakh hectares, pulses stood at 104% of its normal cropped area in Telangana. Of this red gram is sown in 2.71 lakh hectares. In AP, sowing in about 65% of 2.53 lakh hectares normal cropped area of pulses has been completed. Groundnut is the second largest crop in AP, with a normal cropped area of 9.3 lakh hectares in the Karif season. So far sowing of groundnut crop is completed in 5.88 lakh hectares, almost double the area compared to the sowing of the crop during the same period last year, indicating a likely increase in the crop during the season.

In Telangana, soybean was sown in 2.70 lakh hectares as against the normal cropped area of 2 lakh hectares. Maize is the other major crop in Telangana, which was already sown in 3.67 lakh hectares as compared to the normal cropped area of 4.91 lakh hectares. However, due to prevailing dry weather conditions, crops in both States are withering away even in the areas which reported normal rainfall as not a single day in August witnessed showers anywhere in the states.

The monsoon, which lured millions of farmers to the fields with pre-monsoon showers, had suddenly disappeared from the skies as season progressed. In fact, farmers too went into early sowing operations following the predictions of Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), which termed that it could be a 'good monsoon' and erase previous drought conditions. Surprisingly, all the predictions of IMD went wrong particularly with regard to AP as the State is just heading for another serious drought. The State is already gripped by extreme hot conditions due to adverse weather conditions which are expected to prove fatal for the crops.

Paddy farmers will be the biggest losers if AP state does not witness another shower in the next fortnight. The tall claims of the State government on river linkage through Pattiseema have come a cropper with the crops even in Krishna delta facing acute shortage of water. The State governments have asked agriculture officers to encourage farmers to make use of rain guns to keep the standing crops afloat. Nellore district, which was virtually washed away in floods last year, is witnessing the highest rainfall deficit with minus 45 per cent rainfall during the season.

While Prakasam is undergoing nearly 32 per cent deficit, Guntur has received 20 per cent less rainfall. In fact, the deficit will be much higher if it is compared with normal rainfall in August alone. Paddy is sown just in 8.8 lakh hectares as against the normal acreage of 16 lakh hectares in Andhra Pradesh, which is just 55 per cent. Chances of saving the crop till harvest too are doubtful if the situation continues.

By Gudipati Rajendera Kumar