Paddy farmers in Vikarabad losing hopes of reviving crop

Parigi: The inordinate delay of rains in the current monsoon season has hampered the prospects of the paddy crop in Vikarabad district as only 20 per cent of total paddy transplantation could take place so far. Unless there are bountiful rains, the situation cannot be salvaged.

The paddy is transplanted in 4000 hectares only against the normal 13,000 hectares. July and August are considered right time to transplant paddy. The farmers are hoping that the paddy crop could be revived if ground water swells on account of water reaching projects, ponds and tanks by that time. But the conditions seem to be unfavourable for such a phenomenon to take place. Therefore, the farmers are annoyed.

In the absence of rains, the farmers have no alternative. Even if they want to raise paddy under tanks and bore wells, the water level in them has touched the rock botoom. In fact, several have raised paddy under bore wells and waiting for the arrival of rains to transplant paddy in the main field. The rains occurring now and then are useful for dry crops only, the farmers aver. In fact, 10 per cent of the farmers have adopted a wait and watch attitude to raise the paddy. But the eluding rains foiled their plans to raise the crop rather belatedly.