Farmers advised to shift to low-water crops in Rabi season amid El Niño concerns

Vijayawada: With concerns over the possible impact of El Niño on rainfall and water availability, Agriculture department has advised farmers in NTR district to prefer irrigated dry (ID) crops over paddy during upcoming Rabi season, especially in areas with inadequate irrigation.

In a statement issued on Saturday, District Agriculture Officer Ch Tirumala Devi urged farmers to prepare crop plans in advance, taking into account available water resources, soil conditions and weather forecasts.

She recommended that farmers in water-deficit areas avoid paddy and instead cultivate less water-intensive crops such as black gram, green gram, Bengal gram and sorghum, depending on local conditions.

Pulses require less water than paddy, help reduce cultivation costs and improve soil fertility through biological nitrogen fixation. Selecting suitable crops based on local conditions would minimise the risk of crop losses and help manage expenditure, she said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dasari Srinivasa Rao

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Dasari Srinivasa Rao is a Staff Reporter with The Hans India, covering NTR and Krishna districts, with a primary focus on Vijayawada. He has 32 years of experience in journalism. His reporting spans a wide range of beats, including city and rural development, politics, irrigation, education, crime, and human-interest stories.

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