Srikakulam: Deficit rainfall affects paddy cultivation

Srikakulam: With onset of monsoon and sufficient rainfall in July, the farmers in Srikakulam were adopted direct sowing method for paddy cultivation for the Kharif season.

But the cultivation works were affected by the deficit rainfall and dry spell in Srikakulam. Paddy is considered to the primary crop to be cultivated during the Kharif season in the district.

According to agriculture department officials, paddy is being cultivated in an extent 5.75 lakh acres in the district during kharif season, it occupies 75 per cent of cultivated area. Usually paddy crop is required more water, time and investment for transplantation mode of cultivation.

In this mode, the saplings will be grown in nurseries and the same will be transplanted.

Due to less rainfall, farmers were forced to adopt direct sowing method to avoid water scarcity, to save time and investment.

With reduced rainfall this year, paddy cultivation was also reduced from 5.75 lakh acres to 4.15 lakh acres.

Farmers said that this year they skipped growing saplings in the nurseries and transplanting them due to the dry spell.

Joint director for agriculture K Sridhar said that they were suggesting farmers to start paddy cultivation works through direct sowing method to save time, investment and water.