AP farmers fear crop loss due to prolonged dry spell

• Ryots in Bapatla, Repalle and Nizampatnam mandals complain of withering away of paddy, red gram, chilli and cotton crops
• Get a temporary relief as Krishna Board announces release of 5 tmcft water

Bapatla (Guntur): Some parts of the district particularly in the western Krishna delta that include Bapatla, Repalle and Nizampatnam mandals are witnessing the withering of paddy, red gram, chilli and cotton crops due to prolonged dry spell conditions, but with the release of 5 tmc of water by Krishna Board, the situation would improve, say agriculture officials.

In Guntur district, the paddy cultivation is being taken up in 1.66 lakh hectares, red gram in 20,000 hectares, chillies in 62,000 hectares and cotton in 1.99 lakh hectares.

Water released into canals can wet the parched crops and sustain them for a few days until it rains in Palnadu and Bapatla. At present, paddy farmers are scared of reduction of crop yield by 50 per cent. The Krishna River Board after receiving the request of the AP government for release of 10 tmcft of water to save the standing crops and cater to drinking water requirements in the delta region, instructed release of 5 tmc ft of water. Out of which, 2 tmcft of water would be released to the Krishna delta region.

However, farmers say that the water released would only act like oxygen for a while. In Rompicherla mandal, agriculture department officials sent a report to government that crops in 50,000 hectares would be lost if there is no rainfall within a week. So far only 38 mm rainfall was recorded against the normal expectations of 130 mm.

Regarding chilli crop, Venkateswara Rao, a farmer in Moolapalem is purchasing tank water to wet his drying crop to sustain it until the expected rains arrive. Talking to The Hans India, he said that he had never experienced such a situation in the past.

Appalakonda, a cotton farmer, echoed a similar view on the current grim situation in the traditionally fertile delta.

Tobacco, cotton, paddy and red gram are the worst affected crops in Vinukonda, Macherla, Gurajala, Narasaroapeta and Bapatla mandals. Murali Krishna, a tobacco farmer, said that he invested Rs 20,000 per acre on his five-acre farm to cultivate tobacco. Without rainfall in the next four to five days, he would suffer heavy losses and land in indebtedness, which might trigger suicide if the situation is helpless, he bemoans.

Speaking to The Hans India, Agriculture Joint Director VDV Krupa Das stated that the canal water release would save the crops in catchment areas from further withering.

In Bapatla, Repalle and Nizampatnam mandals, 30,000 hectares are being irrigated by bores and therefore the situation is not altogether bad, he added.

In the tail-end areas of canals, the crops may suffer yield reduction and are facing the threat of wilting, he revealed. However, he said that the red gram crop can sustain for another fortnight. He pointed out that 10 to 15 per cent of chilli crop was planted without assurance of irrigation water and is under threat of withering.

Next week appears to be crucial as the farmers hope for a miracle rain to save them from financial doldrums.

By:Ravi P Benjamin